Ben Benton

Ben Benton is a news reporter at the Chattanooga Times Free Press. He covers Southeast Tennessee’s Bledsoe, Bradley, Franklin, Grundy, Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Rhea and Sequatchie counties. Ben has worked at the Times Free Press since November 2005. Ben was born and raised in Cleveland, Tennessee, a graduate of Bradley Central High School. He has a bachelor's degree in communications from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Contact Southeast Tennessee reporter Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569.

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Meigs County leaders seek jail options to regain state certification

by Ben Benton ·February 8, 2026

Meigs County is under the gun to address shortcomings at the county jail to regain the facility's state certification.

Staff Photo by Ben Benton / The Meigs County Jail in Decatur, Tenn., is pictured Feb. 5, 2026. County leaders are weighing ideas for updating the jail enough to regain state certification. The jail was decertified in December.

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Concrete, asphalt paving signal ‘important step’ for I-75/I-24 project

by Ben Benton ·February 8, 2026

Nighttime lane closures, rolling roadblocks planned as crews finalize Phase 2 work

Staff Photo by Seth Carpenter / Vehicle pass construction crews doing concrete work on Interstate 75 near East Brainerd Road. Nighttime lane closures for a variety of work will continue on I-75 north and south between Exit 1 at East Ridge and Exit 3A at East Brainerd Road, and on I-24 east and west between Germantown Road and Spring Creek Road for various construction activities in the coming weeks.

Man sought in Polk County on attempted murder, assault charges

by Ben Benton ·February 5, 2026

Authorities in Polk County, Tennessee, and neighboring communities are continuing a manhunt for the suspect in a Jan. 21 stabbing in Athens, Tennessee, who allegedly assaulted an officer after leading Bradley County authorities on a chase into Polk County, where he fled on foot and remains at-large.

Polk County Sheriff's Office / David Rodriguez Cruz is being sought by Polk County, Tenn., authorities on murder and assault charges.

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Grundy County man allegedly aimed BB gun at Courthouse employee

by Ben Benton ·February 4, 2026

A man carrying what was later determined to be a BB gun caused some tense moments at the Grundy County Courthouse before he was taken into custody.

Grundy County Sheriff's Office / Michael Hammond, 37.

Video: Split project on track for spring finish. Hamilton Place work at 60% complete

by Ben Benton, Brynn Meisse ·February 3, 2026

Split project on track for spring finish. Hamilton Place work at 60% complete

Half-inch of snow possible in Chattanooga by Saturday night

by Ben Benton ·January 30, 2026

Appalachian Mountains could get up to a foot

Staff photo by Matt Hamilton / Snow dusts John Petrey's sculpture "Rhino Pull Toy" in Coolidge Park. Another winter weather system is bearing down on the Chattanooga region over the weekend with chances of snow totaling a half-inch in the city and higher accumulations to the east in the Tennessee and Georgia mountains.

Grundy County man charged in Palmer shooting

by Ben Benton ·January 30, 2026

Alleged victim in intensive care unit

Grundy County Sheriff's Office / Grundy County Sheriff's Office Detective Avery McGinness pats Christopher Crabtree down at the scene of Crabtree's arrest Thursday in connection with the alleged shooting of another man who is being treated for his injuries at a Chattanooga hospital. Crabtree was charged with attempted murder and other association counts.

Dunlap man pleads guilty, gets eight-year sentence in Christmas Eve shooting

by Ben Benton ·January 30, 2026

Attempted murder charge pending in Hamilton County

Hamilton County Sheriff's Office / James Alvin Stockwell, 35.

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$750K settlement pending in former Rhea County executive’s 2022 death

by Ben Benton ·January 29, 2026

A $750,000 settlement is pending in a federal wrongful death suit filed by the family of former Rhea County Executive George Thacker against the federal government over Thacker's 2022 in-custody death at a federal prison camp in South Carolina.

Rhea County / Former Rhea County Executive George Thacker.

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Trial date set in wrongful death suit against Grundy County

by Ben Benton ·January 25, 2026

Defendants deny wrongdoing in 2024 incident