Harrell beats four challengers, wins re-election to second term as Whitley Sheriff

Whitley County Sheriff’s Department Detective Tim Baker, left, and Sheriff Colan Harrell, right, share a laugh while votes are county following Tuesday night’s primary. Harrell easily won re-election.

Incumbent Whitley County Sheriff Colan Harrell fended off challenges from four opponents, including two other sitting office holders, to win re-election to a second term in office Tuesday.

Harrell garnered 3,788 votes to 2,119 votes for Third-District Constable Jim Thornton, who finished second in the race, and 1,029 votes for Jailer Ken Mobley, who finished third.

Former Williamsburg Assistant Police Chief Denver Bargo finished in fourth place with 766 votes and businessman Darren Gilreath received 432 votes.

Thornton won a total of seven precincts all of which came from his home district, and Harrell carried the remaining 29 districts. There are a total of 14 voting precincts in the Third-District.

Harrell said that he is happy with the victory.

"I want to thank my family and my friends. They have been great through this thing. They have helped out a lot," Harrell said. "I am thankful to the public for their support. We will have another four years of a professional sheriff.

"This was all through the great staff I have. I just don’t think I could have a better group of deputies and office workers together. I think this is what the public is appreciative of."

Harrell said he thinks he got the nod again from voters because they liked the service that they were getting from his department.

"They will continue to get it in the future. I promise it for the next four years," he said. "We had all good audits. I have a good office manager in Melissa Fuson. I have an exceptional Chief Deputy in K.Y. Fuson. I have an exceptionally good narcotics officer in Tim Baker. I have good people working for me. They have done the work."

Harrell said his goals for his second term including establishing a methamphetamine lab clean-up unit, which he hopes to get certified shortly.

Harrell said a meth lab inside a wrecked vehicle that had Highway 204 shut down for two hours is one of the things that prompted him to establish this unit.

He also hopes to upgrade the department’s vehicles during his second term.

In addition, Harrell said that he would like to put another deputy or two on the road if the budget will allow it.

Harrell received about 1,000 fewer votes Tuesday than he did four years ago when he bested disgraced incumbent Sheriff Lawrence Hodge by nearly 3,000 votes.