KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — It was an eventful week in East Tennessee. From boxelder bugs making their appearance for the season to Super Tuesday, here are the stories you clicked on the most.
Story 1
"Boxelder bugs starting to swarm East Tennessee homes"
Now that the sun is out, the bugs are out. Some folks in the WBIR newsroom are experiencing boxelder bugs by the dozens, and we know others are experiencing it too.
Most have been hiding outside homes all winter long, waiting for the weather to warm so they could start crawling out.
"They'll get inside the walls and stuff during the winter. They're wanting to stay in a warm place, they're not really hibernating," said Tim Price, an East Tennessee exterminator.
They're called Boxelder bugs because they tend to prefer boxelder maple trees, and they're mostly harmless. To get rid of them, Price recommended preparing homes for warmed weather by filling in gaps and cracks and getting rid of any opportunity they have to get inside.
Story 2
"Police: 5 dead after plane crash near I-40 in Middle Tennessee Monday evening"
The Metro Nashville Police Department said five people died after a small plane crashed on the side of I-40 in West Nashville.
The crash was reported behind the Nashville West Shopping Center at around 7:44 p.m. shortly after the plane took off from nearby John Tune Airport, according to the Metro Nashville Airport Authority.
According to a report from WSMV in Nashville, the people have since been identified as a family of five from Canada.
Story 3
"Preliminary results are in for key races across East Tennessee, with some close calls in Knox County"
Super Tuesday started on March 5, when people packed voting booths across the country to decide on who they wanted to see as the President of the U.S. Alongside the presidential primary elections, people in East Tennessee also went to vote in their local elections.
Voters in East Tennessee mostly decided on who they wanted to represent their party in the upcoming general election. In most East Tennessee areas, county general elections are set for Aug. 1.
In Knox County, several commission seats were up for grabs. The Knox County Election Commission said 26,885 early voting and absentee ballots were cast ahead of Election Day. Most were for the Republican Party Primary Election, at 21,440 ballots.
Story 4
"Family of arrested Meigs Co. woman who died after deputy drive into river files $10 million wrongful death lawsuit"
In February, a woman was found dead after a Meigs County deputy arrested her and drove into the Tennessee River. The deputy, Robert Leonard, was also found dead.
On March 4, Smith's family members filed a federal, wrongful death lawsuit in federal court against the Meigs County government. It said Smith had one adult child and also left behind three minors.
The lawsuit said Leonard was called to a disturbance on a Highway 60 bridge that spans the Tennessee River near the Birchwood community on the evening of Feb. 14. It said after around three minutes, he took Smith into custody and cuffed her hands behind her back before sitting her in the back seat of his patrol car. It said he then drove off towards the Meigs County Jail.
Story 5
"Trial starts for Fountain City woman accused in felony murder of her 5-year-old daughter"
A Knox County jury began hearing testimony Monday in the 2019 killing of a 5-year-old girl where it's not absolutely clear who pulled the trigger.
Robin Howington, 41, is accused in Knox County Criminal Court of the felony murder of her daughter, Destiny Oliver. In addition to felony murder, which alleges a killing committed during the commission of another felony, Howington is also charged with aggravated child neglect, evidence tampering, making a false report and attempted evidence tampering.
Prosecutors Franklin Ammons and Ashley McDermott allege Howington lied and tried to deceive police repeatedly after the child was shot in the chest. She variously blamed a random man, her daughter's father and her 2-year-old son for pulling the trigger.
As of Friday, Howington was found guilty of a lesser homicide charge.
