Terry "Fish" Fischesser, a maintenance worker at the Rhea Springs Recreation Area, thought there was something suspicious about a man who had been camping for a few days at the 6.5-acre Rhea County park.
"I knew he wasn't up to par," said Fischesser, who makes it a point to talk to campers and keep an eye on things.
The man told Fischesser that he'd bought his white van in Crossville, Tenn., after getting there from Bowling Green, Ky., by bus and taxicab. He told another camper that federal marshals and FBI agents had been to his house.
"The U.S. marshals and FBI don't come to your house after a parking ticket," Fischesser said.
So Fischesser called Rhea County sheriff's deputies, and they arrested the man who turned out to be Richard Black, 55, a fugitive from Louisiana, according to Sgt. Wilkey at the Rhea County Jail. No further information was available at 6 p.m. Friday.
Fischesser said Black tried to run away when deputies questioned him.