12:18 pm Stolen items at crash scene result in burglary arrests
A Carter County deputy made a quick arrest late Sunday night when two people crashed their vehicle after allegedly breaking into an apartment and stealing multiple items.
Investigator Travis Ludlow of the Carter County Sheriff’s Department said the case began when Deputy Ashley McCall was called to 127 Carson Drive, Apt. 1, on Sunday at 10:16 p.m. in reference to a burglary. Carson Drive is located off Smalling Road near Central Elementary School. The deputy made contact with Fred Smith, who said someone broke into his neighbor’s apartment and took several items. The victim, Nikolas Williams, was out of town, but they determined a Sony Playstation 3 video game system, several video games, DVDs and lottery tickets were taken.
Smith said he heard a loud boom in Apartment 1 and called Williams to ask if anyone was supposed to be in the apartment. The victim said no. The neighbor said he then saw a light gold Honda driving away from the scene.
The neighbor said he saw the same vehicle at the residence earlier in the day. He described two people that were in the vehicle, which the victim said was likely his ex-girlfriend and one of her friends.
Ludlow said that approximately 18 minutes after receiving the 911 burglary call, Deputy Ricky Kinner was dispatched to an accident with injuries on Smalling Road. He arrived to find a light gold Honda had flipped and crashed in the ditch. Ludlow said officers determined Ralph Holly, 38, was driving the vehicle and his girlfriend, Lindsey Hurley, was the passenger.
Kinner said Holly was gone when he arrived at the crash scene. The deputy found a Sony Playstation 3 in the vehicle, with a serial number that matched one taken from the burglary victim’s apartment. Games and DVDs were also in the car.
The investigator said Hurley was injured in the accident and when EMS personnel removed her clothing, they found lottery tickets concealed in her underwear. She was taken to the Johnson City Medical Center by the Carter County Rescue Squad.
Officers did not know the crash and the burglary were connected at that time, and Holly was allowed to leave the scene before Kinner arrived, Ludlow said.
Holly was taken into custody later in the evening. Another individual told investigators that he had driven Holly home from the hospital. Holly allegedly asked the individual to drive to the crash scene to recover some of the stolen items.
Holly reportedly admitted to Ludlow that he had dropped Hurley off at the apartment, went to a nearby parking lot and waited 30 to 40 minutes, then returned to the apartment and picked her up after she took items from the apartment. He then allegedly admitted to having the other individual take him to the crash scene to recover the stolen items.
Holly has been charged with facilitation of aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence and theft over $500. Warrants have been written for Hurley’s arrest.
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