A man pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree murder in Hamilton County in connection with a July 2024 police chase during which he hit an officer, according to Criminal Court records. Because the chase took him across state lines, the man also faced charges in Georgia.
Tuesday’s sentencing doubled his prison time, from 10 years to 20. The man pleaded guilty in October 2024 in Whitfield County to a charge in relation to the same incident.
According to Hamilton County Criminal Court’s summary of judgment, he will serve the remainder of his 10-year sentence in Georgia before beginning the additional sentencing in Tennessee.
While fleeing the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Ta’Bious Tezmon Wheat hit East Ridge officer Alan Resendiz, who was laying down spike strips, according to previous reporting by the Chattanooga Times Free Press. Wheat continued south on Interstate 75 into Georgia, where Wheat was ultimately arrested. Resendiz faced months of recovery after being hit.
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In addition to 10 years of prison time in Tennessee, Wheat, of Clarksville, Tennessee, at the time of the incident, was ordered to pay $452 in court costs and $50 to the criminal injuries compensation fund. Seven other charges were dismissed, including evading arrest, reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident and driving on a suspended license.
In Whitfield County, Wheat was charged with six counts of fleeing or attempting to elude police officers, reckless driving, driving under the influence, theft by receiving stolen property and driving with a suspended license, in addition to having an open container of alcohol, according to Wheat’s July 2024 indictment.
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The Whitfield County summary of judgment shows Wheat, 24, pleaded guilty in Superior Court to one count of fleeing or attempting to elude police and was sentenced to 10 years. All other charges were dropped.
Prosecutor Roger Layne with Hamilton County’s District Attorney’s Office could not be reached for comment. Neither could Wheat’s attorney, Ryan Wheeler. Wheat is housed at Georgia Diagnostic and Classification State Prison in Butts County, according to the state Department of Corrections.
Contact Northwest Georgia reporter Ignacio Perez at iperez@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6710.