Burglary suspect held in McMinn

POLICE BRIEFS

Burglary suspect held in McMinn

A McMinn County man was arrested Sunday in the Friday night burglary of the Marathon Food Mart on State Highway 39 when deputies identified him from store surveillance cameras, Sheriff Joe Guy said.

Deputies responding to an alarm found the store's front door was broken in and the stock had been disturbed. They obtained a photograph from a surveillance camera and recovered fingerprints, Guy said.

The deputies identified the suspect as Brian Keith Hafley, 39, of Athens, Guy said, and took him into custody at his home late Sunday morning. Some property taken from the store was recovered, Guy said.

Hafley will be arraigned Tuesday on charges of burglary and theft over $1,000, the sheriff said.

Shotgun accident kills Calhoun man

A Calhoun, Tenn., man was fatally injured Saturday night when a shotgun being fired by an acquaintance exploded and struck the victim in the neck, according to a news release.

"It was the first incident of the new year," McMinn County Sheriff Joe Guy said. "It was a bad situation to begin 2012 with."

Jeffery Watson, 48, was with some friends outside his residence on County Road 20 celebrating the New Year around midnight, the sheriff said. Witnesses told deputies that Benjamin David Ware, 31, was firing a 12-gauge shotgun into the woods when it exploded.

A piece of the barrel hit Watson in the neck, and he died at Athens Regional Medical Center, Guy said.

According to Detective Lt. Eric Allman, "Alcohol was present, but we've not determined if it was a factor in the accident." Authorities don't know why the weapon exploded.

Another shotgun was taken from the scene, as well as a small amount of what appeared to be marijuana, the release stated.

No charges have been filed, but the investigation is continuing.

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