Former UT basketball player, Ramar Smith, surrenders to police
By Don Jacobs (Contact), J.J. Stambaugh (Contact)
Originally published 06:18 a.m., May 21, 2009
Updated 06:18 a.m., May 21, 2009


KNOXVILLE — Former University of Tennessee basketball player Ramar Smith surrendered today on charges of aggravated robbery.

He turned himself in about 2:02 a.m. at the City County Building, according to Knoxville Police Department Officer James Cox. Further details were not immediately available.

Police had been searching for Smith, 22, in connection with a home invasion robbery that took place Monday in North Knoxville, according to KPD spokesman Darrell DeBusk.

DeBusk said police wanted to question Smith about the robbery at Steeplechase Apartments, 5800 Central Avenue Pike. DeBusk said something was stolen during that home invasion, but he declined to identify what was taken.

Police also were trying to determine if the home invasion robbery was connected to a Tuesday night shooting at a South Knoxville apartment complex that left one person in critical condition.

Authorities were called to a reported shooting at Woodlands Townhouses of Knoxville, 3700 Spruce Ridge Way, at about 11:41 p.m. Tuesday, according to police.

They found Charles Corn, age unavailable, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds in the living room of his apartment, according to DeBusk.

“There were several other individuals in the apartment at the time” of the shooting, he said.

Witnesses told police that two men were seen leaving the area after the shooting.

DeBusk declined to say what type of firearm was used or where on his body Corn was shot. Corn was taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center where he was listed in critical condition.

Among the witnesses in the apartment was 22-year-old Brent Vinson, a defensive back with the UT football team.

Vinson gave a statement to police but is not considered a suspect, said KPD Investigator A.J. Loeffler.

“He’s just a witness,” Loeffler said.

Smith is from Mount Clemens, Mich., and was dismissed last year from the team by UT coach Bruce Pearl. Sources at that time told the News Sentinel that the dismissal resulted from Smith’s violation of UT’s substance abuse policy and academic shortcomings.

Prior to his dismissal, Smith had been an All-SEC freshman selection. After his departure, Smith had been playing basketball in Europe.