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Laurel County officials have not yet determined the cause of a structure fire, which occurred early Friday morning and sent two firefighters to the hospital. Laurel Sheriff’s arson investigator Brian Lewis and the Kentucky State Fire Marshal’s Office are investigating the structure fire, which occurred at a garage with an occupied apartment inside, according to a Laurel County Sheriff’s Office release. The building occupant escaped without injuries. The garage was used for farming. The fire was reported at approximately 3 a.m. about seven miles south of London in the old Dugger Garage building in Lily. The initial call was about heavy smoke within an apartment in the vicinity of the 5000 block of...

Court documents reveal new details about additional charges filed Tuesday against a now suspended South Laurel High School teacher and swimming coach Bradley Kyle Yeager was first arrested Sunday on child pornography related charges. Additional charges were also filed Tuesday against his co-defendant, who allegedly supplied him with nude images of herself and a toddler, according to court documents. The new charges are the result Kentucky Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigation and center on allegations the co-defendant sent nude pictures of herself and a toddler to the teacher in exchange for money. Barbourville Police initially arrested Yeager, 35, of Heidrick, on Sunday for possession of matter portraying a sexual...

A now suspended South Laurel High School teacher and swimming coach, who got arrested Sunday on child pornography related charges and got out of jail on bond Tuesday, was not free for long. Later Tuesday, Kentucky State Police arrested Bradley Yeager, 35, of Heidrick, on new charges of promoting human trafficking (victim under 18 years old) and promoting a sexual performance by a minor under age 18. He was booked into the Knox County Detention Center at 9:18 p.m. Tuesday. His new bond is set at $100,000 cash, according to the Knox County Detention Center’s website. The detention center confirmed Wednesday morning the Bradley Yeager booked into the facility Tuesday evening is...

Currently no foul play is suspected in the death of one person, whose body was found in the remains of a structure fire Sunday morning in Southern Whitley County, according to a Kentucky State Police (KSP) release. Whitley County Deputy Coroner Charles Steve Watson pronounced the victim dead at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday. Officials think the deceased was an adult and possibly female, Watson said. Coroner Andy Croley said Tuesday afternoon officials are still waiting on the results of DNA testing before making a positive identification of the deceased. The body was transported Monday to the Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office in Frankfort Monday for an autopsy. As of Tuesday afternoon, a determination...

Officials say one person is dead after a structure fire in Southern Whitley County. The person, who has not been identified, was found Sunday morning.Whitley County Deputy Coroner Charles Steve Watson pronounced the victim dead at 9:30 a.m. Sunday. Officials think the deceased was an adult and possibly female. DNA testing will probably be needed to confirm the victim’s identity, Watson said. The body will be transported to the Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office in Frankfort Monday for an autopsy. The medical examiner’s office will determine the cause and manner of death. The fire was reported at 5111 Lot Mud Creek a little before midnight Saturday. Watson said fire officials knew Saturday night there...

A Whitley County Sheriff’s deputy and five children were transported to the hospital by ambulance after a police vehicle collided with a Whitley County school bus Monday afternoon, but no one apparently required an overnight hospital stay, officials said. “We are just thankful it wasn’t worse than what it was,” said Whitley County Superintendent John Siler. “It was unfortunate, but we are just thankful there were no serious injuries.” Whitley County Sheriff Bill Elliotte echoed similar sentiments. At the time of the crash, the sheriff’s deputy was attempting to respond to a deadly wreck on Cumberland Falls Highway (US25W). There was a total of 36 people on the bus at the time of...

A Corbin man died Monday afternoon during a three-vehicle accident near the intersection of Cumberland Falls Highway (US25W) and Good Neighbor Drive. Whitley County Coroner Andy Croley pronounced John Canada Love, 38, dead at the scene at 3:50 p.m. from multiple injuries he sustained in the crash. He died instantly in the crash. Love was on his way to work in Barbourville when the crash occurred. He was only approximately two miles away from home, Croley said. Croley said that Love was driving a 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 Series pick-up truck. Two other vehicles were involved in the crash. One was attempting to turn into a nearby subdivision when the crash happened....

Whitley County Coroner Andy Croley has identified the victim who died after an incident at the Williamsburg Firestone Industrial Products Plant. Croley said Jack Henson, 51, of Corbin, died from injuries he sustained while at the plant. Henson was pronounced dead at 11:38 a.m. on Wednesday. Read more about the incident here: https://thenewsjournal.net/one-person-dies-wednesday-morning-after-accident-at-williamsburg-firestone-industrial-products/

A Williamsburg man was under the influence of alcohol, speeding and operating a motor vehicle while his license was suspended for driving while under the influence when he hit another vehicle on I-75 nearly two years ago killing a two-year-old and seriously injuring the child’s mother. It took jurors about one hour and 45 minutes Thursday afternoon to convict Matthew Paul Croley, 36, of the wanton murder of Patrick Flores, and first-degree assault for injuries caused to Flores’ mother during the crash. The jury also convicted Croley on three counts of first-degree wanton endangerment for endangering Flores three siblings, who were also in the vehicle at the time of the crash,...

Whitley Circuit Court jurors recommended a 25-year prison sentence for a Corbin jewelry store robber, who had seven prior felony convictions before he picked up an eighth felony conviction Thursday afternoon. The nine-man, three-woman jury needed less than 15 minutes to convict Lonnie D. Huff, 48, of Emmalena, on a charge of complicity to commit first-degree robbery. Jurors could have convicted him of second-degree robbery, theft by unlawful taking value $10,000 or more or acquitted him. Jurors needed about twice that amount of time to recommend their sentence. In his closing argument during the sentencing phase of the trial, Commonwealth’s Attorney Ronnie Bowling urged jurors to recommend a life sentence for Huff, who...