Sheriff Joe Guy explains why he wants Blue Cove Hideaway closed

ATHENS, Tennessee (WDEF) – McMinn County Sheriff Joe Guy is trying to close the Blue Cove Hideaway permanently unless significant changes are made.

Sheriff Guy said the temporary court order closing the site is in effect until this Friday.

They will have a hearing on the matter then to determine the fate of the property and the owners.

With two deaths in the last few years, and another serious injury to a minor last weekend, Sheriff Joe Guy asked for and got a court order temporarily closing the venue.

“I don’t want to be in the business of someone else’s business. But when a business has repeated calls having to do with law enforcement issues, two deaths, a report of an arson, drug trafficking, underage drinking, over and over and over for three years, I kind of have to get in it with both feet at that point.”

The owner Charles Womac was arrested last weekend for reckless endangerment, among other charges.

“They do not have a legitimate charge in no way against me on nothing. If they did, then we’d go to court, and the jury would decide, and that’s what we’re going to do anyway.”

Some neighbors also have issues with what goes on at the property.

Eva Foster says “Over here at the Blue Cove, there’s gunshots going off all the time and my family lives right across the street from it, and there’s a six year old there. They don’t need to be doing all this illegal stuff right here especially when there’s a bunch of children that lives up and down this road.”

Womac says “Ok if that’s true, why don’t the police do their job? It’s their job to see if someone’s under, is drinking, or is pedaling dope.”

“He said it himself that when people cross that gate they can do whatever they want to do, and he’s somehow not responsible, so, I would disagree with that. You’ve got to be responsible, you still can’t let underaged drinking go on, you still can’t let narcotics use go on, and to make no changes whatsoever in safety.”

The hearing on Womac’s case is scheduled for Friday.