ROANE COUNTY JUDGE FACING CHARGES AFTER CAR CRASH

A Roane County General Sessions Court judge likely will be charged after he was in a vehicle crash late Wednesday in Roane County, authorities said.

Judge Dennis W. Humphrey was involved in the crash on state Highway 58, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

He was taken to an area hospital to be checked for injuries, according to 17th Judicial District Attorney General Robert Carter, who has been assigned to look into the case

The prosecutor said Thursday he could provide little information because his office had only just been assigned the case. Typically, when people who work in the judicial system face charges, everyone within that same system recuses themselves and an outside prosecution team takes over.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol was the lead investigating agency. It provided limited details about the crash Thursday, and a spokeswoman referred questions about the incident to Carter.

The Roane County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene but deferred to the THP.

Carter, who is attending a statewide judicial conference in Chattanooga, said he was alerted Wednesday night about the case. Many judges and prosecutors were attending the conference this week from across Tennessee.