Loudon County Sheriff Tim Guider today announced the arrest of Micah Kimsey, 21, of 4402 Morganton Road in Maryville, in connection with the assault and robbery of Mayor Tom Peeler of Greenback. On August 5, 2011 at 2:30 A M, Mayor Peeler heard a noise and alarm outside of his residence. After arming himself for protection he went outside to investigate. He saw a man getting items from his outside refrigerator and confronted him. A fight ensued, with Mayor Peeler being seriously injured during the struggle and his firearm taken from him. Mayor Peeler’s injuries required hospitalization and surgery. He was able to describe the assailant as a white male being about 6 ft. tall with a burr haircut and fleeing in a white pickup truck. A stolen truck fitting that description was recovered a few miles north from the assault, abandoned on Morganton Road, the same morning of the incident.

An investigation by the Criminal Investigations Unit (CID) required several months of interviews with possible suspects and surveillance of several residences. The Mayor was shown several photos of suspects with no results, which indicated to investigators the suspect was not from Loudon County. In April, the CID unit received information that Micah Kimsey had been bragging about robbing someone. When a photo lineup including Kimsey was shown to Mayor Peeler, he was positively identified as the assailant. Additional information was received recently that was able to strengthen the case enough for a Grand Jury investigation and indictment. The additional information collected included facts that no one would know unless they were involved in the crime. The indictment was for Especially Aggravated Robbery because of the major injuries received by Mayor Peeler.

Especially Aggravated Robbery is a Class A Felony that carries a minimum of a 13 ½ year sentence if there have been no prior convictions. Kimsey is currently serving a sentence for both Auto Theft and Felony Violation of Probation in the Blount County Jail. He also has a hold on him from Monroe County. Loudon County will take custody of Kimsey when both Monroe and Blount Counties are finished with him.

Sheriff Guider would like to thank the Blount County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in the case, and also District Attorney Russell Johnson for putting the case before the Grand Jury on short notice.