Richard Devin WaddleA man has been arrested by Bradley County Sheriff’s Office deputies after a string of thefts, according to a news release from the office.
Richard Devin Waddle, a convicted sex offender in Georgia, was identified as a suspect in a rash of reported thefts and auto thefts across the county beginning on July 14. Waddle had recently moved to the Bradley County area after being released from prison and had not reported his move to Tennessee, officials said.
Waddle had previously managed to evade arrest multiple times by fleeing on foot and even attempted to hit a deputy with a stolen vehicle, the news release states.
On Thursday, Bradley deputies identified Waddle as the suspect in an auto theft in the 64 Highway area while they were at the scene. Detectives located the stolen vehicle at a residence in city limits and officers got all occupants except Waddle to come outside. Waddle was then taken into custody with the assistance of a Cleveland Police Department K-9 officer.
Waddle faces the following charges: aggravated assault on an officer, felony evading, resisting arrest, vandalism and felony vandalism, failure to appear on schedule 1 for resale, burglary, theft over $60,000, $10,000, $2,500 and 1,000, theft under $1,000, cruelty to animals, criminal impersonation and alteration of a vehicle identification number.