A multi-county police pursuit culminated Monday morning in downtown Knoxville with the arrest of a driver and a passenger.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol announced on social media Monday morning that it assisted Monroe and Loudon County deputies in a pursuit that resulted in an arrest. It ended around the Hall of Fame exit on Interstate 40 around 9 a.m. At one point, the event halted four lanes of traffic on the I-40 block, causing significant traffic congestion.
According to a Sweetwater Police Department spokesperson, the chase began in Sweetwater when a police officer noticed a registration issue and pulled down the car in the 400 block of Sweetwater-Vonore Road.
According to SPD, the driver and passenger offered phoney names before driving away from the authorities. The department then stated that it pursued the car into Loudon County, where officers from the Loudon County Sheriff’s Office took over the pursuit. The pursuit eventually led officers into Knox County, where they were apprehended.
“The suspect who was driving was Nathan Hatfield and the female was identified as Autumn Melton, both of Sweetwater,” according to SPD.
According to the spokesperson, during the chase, more than an ounce of methamphetamine was thrown out, which a detective recovered. According to SPD, Hatfield will face various counts, including:
- Felony evading
- Reckless driving
- Possession of methamphetamine for resale
- Tampering with evidence
- Criminal impersonation
- Driving on a revoked license
More accusations were also pending, according to police, with Melton facing criminal impersonation.
