Gas drive-off leads to high-speed chase
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33 Bridge was shut down for a short period of time Monday afternoon while officers apprehended a suspect who led them on a pursuit after stealing gas.
Tazewell Police Department was dispatched to look for the vehicle, which was a yellow Suzuki.
Officer Michael Cavins observed the vehicle at the intersection of Highway 25-E and Highway 33.
He attempted to pull the vehicle over but they continued southbound on 33.
Officer Cavins followed the vehicle to the New Tazewell city limits where Sgt. Bill Baumgardner picked up the pursuit.
Sgt. Baumgardner reported that the vehicle was traveling at speeds approaching 100 miles-per-hour. He was advised by Lt. Stephen Hurley to terminate the pursuit near Sandlick.
Union County officers then picked up the pursuit at the county line where officers trapped him on the 33 Bridge.
Gary A. Strange, III of Friendsville, Tenn., was taken into custody and placed in the Union County Jail where he is being held on charges in their county.
A hold has been placed on Strange and he will be extradited back to the Claiborne County Jail where he will be charged with felony evading arrest, reckless driving, theft of property and driving on a revoked license.
Ashley Collingsworth is a staff writer for the Claiborne Progress.
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If he robbed a store and killed someone, well, that's a whole different scenario...Of course, it's incredibly more serious. That's apples and oranges to someone stealing $14.
I'm not saying police shouldn't chase thieves... they just need to use more caution and keep high-speed chases like this from escalating into kamikaze missions.
Maybe we need to put warning stickers on police cruisers - Caution, we might actually try to arrest you. Seems like a few knotheads haven't gotten that message yet.
I see what you're saying, but the police have to take some responsibility for these high-speed pursuits as well... Yes, they're chasing criminals, and yes, a crime should not go unpunished.
But is the pursuit of someone who stole $14 worth such a HUGE risk? Why couldn't the police have stopped the chase before it reached the 33 bridge and 100 MPH???
Evidently, the driver thought it was worth $14 to risk lives - yours and mine. Which is why he'll be facing those charges.
All of this over 14 bucks in gas? Because someone stole $14, police should chase this criminal 100 MPH through dangerous two-lane roads, across the 33 bridge, putting countless lives at risk?
It had to have cost police more than $14 just in manpower to respond to this. And all the traffic it backed up over the bridge cost hundreds of people delays and money that would contribute to the economy.
Gas stations should just absorb the loss. It would teach them to require prepay at all pumps and install cameras.
The death of a Bell Co. Sheriff's Deputy happened after the state police pursued someone who stole $30. His death should be more than enough to warn area police that these pursuits aren't worth it!
What are law enforcement thinking!