Former Tennessee Strength and Conditioning coach broke into arena with a saw

FloridaGamedayr | February 26, 2013 at 8:44 pm | 2 Comments

Troy Willis should have left the saw, and himself for that matter, at home. (Photo courtesy Knox Country Sheriff’s Office)

According to GoVolsExtra, former Tennessee Strength and Conditioning coach Troy Willis was caught on surveillance cameras not only breaking into Thompson-Boling Arena, but doing so with a full-on saw, no less.

Roid rage, anyone?

Willis had been on the staff at Tennessee since 2003, but was fired after last year — basketball coach Cuonzo Martin’s first with the program.

Obviously, the dude was pretty disgruntled after being let go. The details of the robbery paint a picture of a really strong, really angry Willis — and it is not even his first issue with stealing (more on that momentarily).

Wills broke into the office of Bill Whitesell, a UT event management director, using a saw, then “ransacked” the room causing $750.00 in damages to university property and stole $4,150.00 from Whitesell’s desk. The incident was reported to police on Saturday afternoon.

Police say that Wills was spotted on video walking down a Thompson-Boling Arena hallway “with what appears to be a saw in his hand” and “attempting to hide (the saw) underneath his coat” at 3:53 a.m. Saturday. The affidavit said he was next seen on camera leaving at 4:31 a.m.

One might be inclined to ask what Whitesell had ever done to Willis to incur such behavior. What might be an even better question, however, might be to ask why Whitesell had $4,150 just chilling in his desk.

Then again, he probably did not expect a saw-wielding, disgruntled former employee to break in at four in the morning and specifically locate his office.

Back in December, Willis proved exactly how classy of a guy he was when he was arrested for stealing a $100 bottle of tanning cream. He was contacted and asked to return the bottle, and he said he would, no harm no foul. He didn’t and was then taken to jail.

Willis may have simply been trying to bro-out then, but his saw spree carries a far more serious set of punishments.

According to GoVols:

The burglary charge is Class D Felony that required a $7,5000 bond. The vandalism charges is a Class E felony carrying a $5,000 bond. As a condition of his release, Wills was barred from UT property. The theft charge is a Class A misdemeanor. Wills was told to stay away from the tanning salon and ordered not to make contact with the complainant.

At least Willis is a really big, strong guy, because where he’s heading he won’t have the help of a saw.