The Great Smoky Mountain Journal
Source:
Tuesday, January 01, 2019 02:43 PM
Sevierville Police Looking For Shoplifting Suspect After Incident Leads To Short Chase, Single-Vehicle Accident
The original report came from a retired law enforcement officer who said he saw Jeffrey A. Todd, 34, run from the Walmart at 1414 Parkway and began to leave the parking lot.
The retired officer followed the man in his vehicle until SPD officer Hannah Haggard saw the suspect's Chevrolet Malibu and followed him south on the Parkway as the suspect turned into Duncan's Clothing at 1544 Parkway. Officer Haggard tried to stop Todd in the parking lot, but he proceeded to turn onto New Era Road and continue.
As Officer Haggard was about to abandon the chase, she saw Todd's vehicle had crashed into a ditch. As Officer Haggard approached the crash site, Todd continued down the road and pulled behind a house at 2148 New Era Road.
Officer Haggard proceeded to the house, where she saw a man standing in the front yard holding a pistol. The man identified himself as the retired law enforcement officer who was at Walmart.
Behind the home, Officer Haggard found the suspect inside his car. Todd ignored the officer's commands to stop and drove back down the driveway onto the front lawn, officials said. As the suspect's vehicle approached the retired law enforcement officer, the retired officer fired three shots from a 9mm semi-automatic pistol toward the suspect's vehicle.
The retired law enforcement officer later told SPD detectives that he was in fear for his life as Todd's vehicle approached him in the yard. The suspect was not shot, and as of Monday afternoon, officials had not determined if any bullets hit the suspect's vehicle.
Todd fled east onto New Era Road, ran into a camper, drove over several sidewalks and grass areas and ultimately crashed on a steel gate at NASCAR Speedpark. As the suspect fled on foot towards the Parkway, an officer deployed his TASER, striking the suspect. After falling, the suspect quickly regained his footing and fled across the Parkway into the Duncan Clothing parking lot, where he was ultimately apprehended.
Todd was charged with shoplifting, felony evading by motor vehicle, reckless endangerment, evading arrest and resisting arrest. The Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating the crash and may have additional charges. The incident remains under investigation.