A two-county chase involving several law enforcement agencies ended with a Knoxville man, allegedly seen drinking cinnamon whiskey during the chase, in custody and his terrified passenger safely released.
The driver of the Chevrolet S-10 pickup, Jacob Seth Finley, 31, of Knoxville, faces a list of charges filed by the Tennessee Highway Patrol and Whitwell Police Department, according to a news release from Whitwell police. Whitwell officers charged Finley with two counts of aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, false imprisonment, felony evading arrest and resisting arrest. State troopers charged Finley with driving under the influence and violation of the open container law.
The pursuit began just before 11 a.m. CDT in Sequatchie County with the Sequatchie County Sheriff's Office after Finley allegedly fled a traffic stop, according to the release. Whitwell police picked up the chase when the truck crossed into town, and officers spotted a man and woman in the truck that was said to have reached speeds up to 87 mph.
As the pursuit continued south of state Highway 28 at Ketner Mill Road, police officers from nearby Powell attempted to deploy spike strips in front of the truck, but it swerved around them, the release stated. Jasper police made a second attempt to deploy spike strips, but the truck dodged onto the road's shoulder and avoided those, too.
Drug Task Force officers joined the pursuit and reported they could see the female passenger "was visibly distressed, holding onto a grab bar in the truck and looked as though she was crying and panicking," the release stated.
Authorities allegedly "observed the driver drinking alcohol, which was later confirmed to be Fireball, while in pursuit," the release stated. "The driver then continued to flee westbound on Interstate 24 without regard for other motorists on the roadway."
As the chase passed mile marker 152 on I-24 near the South Pittsburg exit, the fleeing truck struck something in the road, blew out a tire and went into the interstate median, where the chase ended, according to authorities. When police were attempting to remove Finley from the truck, he allegedly produced a kitchen knife but was subdued.
Finley told police he ran because he had just gotten out of prison and is on parole, authorities said in the release.
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The woman told police Finley said numerous times throughout the pursuit he "wasn't going to stop," police said in the release. The woman asked Finley to stop "six or seven times," but he told her he wasn't stopping.
Whitwell police said Finley allegedly told them he meant for police to kill him.
"In the vehicle, police located said Fireball he had been drinking while driving," the release states. "The female party was released from the scene."
Finley faces an April 17 court date, authorities said.
According to Tennessee Department of Correction records, Finley's probation release is being supervised by the Morristown Probation and Parole Office. His release on probation is related to Hamblen County convictions on multiple counts of auto burglary and two convictions for theft over $10,000.
"I am proud of how my officer and the other officers and agents handled this situation by keeping the public safe by getting this suspect off the road who clearly didn't care about anyone else," Whitwell Police Chief David Boyd said in the release.
Contact Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569.