‘Please find him (fugitive). We are terrified!’- Pioneer resident

Today marks Day 10 of the manhunt. As of Sunday morning, the suspect remains on the run.

PIONEER, TN (WLAF) – “This suspect has been on the loose in the Campbell Highlands community all weekend,” according to a woman who lives there near Highway 297. The subdivision is not far from the Pioneer post office.

What began Fri., Aug. 25, around 9am continues more than a week later, and that is the saga of a couple of men who drove a stolen vehicle into Campbell County and were pursued by law enforcement. One man surrendered that night while the other man remains on the lam as of late this morning.

“Several residents have witnessed him on their security cameras, and the suspect is now moving trail cams to avoid detection. Please find him we are terrified!,” said Kristy Ross. Ross lives at Campbell Highlands.

One resident on Wilderness Ridge Lane has seen the fugitive coming and going around dawn and dusk on his security cameras.

Authorities say the fugitive drove the stolen Chevy Equinox into Campbell County on Aug. 25, was pursued by police, wrecked the Chevy on Flatwoods Road (off I-75 at Exit 141), and then he and his partner left out on foot. Later that day, he exchanged gunfire with police and has been on the run since. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 09/03/2023-11AM)

Suspect punches deputy in face, tries to get gun, runs; manhunt continues

Law enforcement had another close encounter with the suspect its been attempting to capture since Friday morning. The black male, who is accused of stealing a car, wrecking it, exchanging gunfire with an officer and then evading, was spotted around 4:30pm Wednesday.

A deputy was close enough to the suspect to get punched in the face and then fight off the suspect as he allegedly attempted to take the officer’s weapon. The suspect then ran from near the Titus Hollow turnoff on Howard Baker Highway toward Scott County.

The THP “air bear” was enroute at the time, and K-9s were requested.

At this publishing, K-9s are in the woods with other officers as the manhunt continues. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 08/30/2023-6PM)

Suspect sighted Tuesday, still on the loose on Day Five of the manhunt

As of Wednesday morning, a suspect law enforcement has been searching for since 9am Friday is still on the run. Police caution that this person is considered armed and dangerous. He is a black male last seen wearing white shorts and a dark top, and he has been spotted numerous times around Exit 141 of I-75. The most recent sighting was Tuesday afternoon.

The ordeal began over a stolen vehicle out of Michigan, according to police. The stolen Chevrolet Equinox fled from Williamsburg and Jellico authorities and was tracked through Onstar near the Shell Station at I-75 Exit 141. Caryville Police Officers responded to that area and spotted the small SUV on Flatwoods Road near the shooting range and pursued it. The Chevy wrecked just before Wilson Cemetery, and the two men in the Chevy bailed out and fled on foot into the woods.

There were two suspects in the beginning. The other suspect was apprehended Friday at 9:40pm on Luther Seibers Blvd. near the Eagle Rock Resort Campground. Caryville Police Officer James Coffey spotted this suspect on foot and placed T.J. McQueen, 19, of Hermitage, Tennessee, under arrest without incident.

McQueen does not have a bond, and he does not have a court date set, according to jail officials. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 08/30/2023-6AM)

CPD Chief Freddie Stagnolia releases more details surrounding manhunt

CARYVILLE-PIONEER, TN (WLAF) – One of two suspects remains on the run this morning, and law enforcement continues its search for a black male last seen Sunday afternoon wearing white shorts and a dark colored shirt.

The man is considered armed and dangerous, according to Caryville Police Chief Freddie Stagnolia.

The arrested suspect is 19-year old T.J. McQueen of Hermitage, Tennessee, and he is being housed in the Campbell County Jail.

(WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 08/28/2023-6AM)

Below are related stories:

Officers searched late into the night for suspect; manhunt continues today

CARYVILLE-PIONEER, TN (WLAF) – A man, on the run since Friday morning, continues to elude authorities after his partner was apprehended Friday evening. The Sunday night team of law enforcement officers searching for the suspect, a black male, finished up well into the night on Sunday.

There were two suspects in the beginning. The other suspect, also a black male, was apprehended Friday evening around Exit 141. The ordeal began when the two men were spotted at Ivydale in a vehicle reported stolen out of Kentucky.

The manhunt had primarily been on the east side of I-75 and shifted to the other side of the interstate Sunday afternoon. That’s when authorities had sight of the suspect as he crossed the interstate in front of Adult World.

A Sunday 10am sighting of the black male suspect, naked, walking through the Eagle Rock Campground jumped started the manhunt for the day. It’s a hunt that began on Friday and has been mainly focused around I-75 at Exit 141.

HERE is a related story from earlier Sunday and Friday.

Two helicopters, two K-9 officers and several other law enforcement officers combed the area around Exit 141 of I-75 for several hours. The suspect was not to be found.

At 5:15pm Sunday, the suspect was spotted near a business, the Blind Frog, Exit 141. This time, he was wearing white shorts and carrying a dark shirt.

Authorities began a pursuit that followed the suspect to around Adult World near the 141 Exit. Law enforcement said that the suspect was next seen in the median of I-75. He crossed on over the interstate to a rock quarry close to where Rogers Group and Potters Southeast are located. At 5:35pm, he was headed west behind the Comfort Inn. One officer stated that he entered a wooded area going toward Titus Hollow. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 08/27/2023-7:50PM-UPDATED 08/28/2023-6AM)

After a morning pursuit, then a lull, another chase begins in manhunt

CARYVILLE-PIONEER, TN (WLAF) – A Sunday 10am sighting of a black male suspect, naked, walking through the Eagle Rock Campground jumped started the manhunt for the day. It’s a hunt that began on Friday and has been mainly focused around I-75 at Exit 141.

HERE is a related story from earlier Sunday and Friday.

Two helicopters, two K-9 officers and several other law enforcement officers combed the area around Exit 141 of I-75 for several hours. The suspect was not to be found.

At 5:15pm Sunday, the suspect was spotted near a business, the Blind Frog, Exit 141. This time, he was wearing white shorts and carrying a dark shirt.

Authorities began a pursuit that followed the suspect to around Adult World near the 141 Exit. Law enforcement said that the suspect was next seen in the median of I-75. He crossed on over the interstate to a rock quarry close to where Rogers Group and Potters Southeast are located. At 5:35pm, he was headed west behind the Comfort Inn. One officer stated that he entered a wooded area going toward Titus Hollow.

As of 7:45pm Sunday, authorities were still on the hunt for the man. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 08/27/2023-7:50PM)

Manhunt intensifies, suspect spotted Sunday AM in campground

CARYVILLE-PIONEER, TN (WLAF) – On Friday morning, two suspects initially involved in stealing a vehicle out of Kentucky were being pursued by law enforcement in Campbell County. The stolen black Chevrolet Equinox was spotted in the Ivydale community, and the ordeal continued to Exit 141 of I-75 on Friday where the small SUV wrecked in a ditch. The suspects fled on foot. Since, one suspect was apprehended Friday evening, and the suspect that allegedly exchanged gunfire with law enforcement is still on the loose and was spotted in a campground around 10am Sunday.

The first call from the Eagle Rock Campground, just off Exit 141 of I-75, came in to Central Dispatch Sunday at 10:03am, and then multiple calls followed. The black male, naked, was spotted on foot in the campground.

Two K-9 officers are on scene with two helicopters enroute, one from the Tennessee Highway Patrol and the other from Knox County Air Watch.

Here is a previous story:

 A manhunt has been going on in Campbell County since early Friday morning. Officials said it began with a reported stolen car out of Kentucky. Campbell County Sheriff’s Deputies pursued a black Chevrolet Equinox in the Ivydale community, and the ordeal continued to Exit 141 of I-75.

The pursuit continued onto Flatwoods Road where the Chevrolet crashed and came to rest in a ditch. Two black males in the stolen vehicle left out on foot after wrecking the small SUV, according to some reports.

Several La Follette Police Officers were at the practice shooting range nearby. Sgt. Noah Riggs and Officer Zack Daugherty along with K-9 Officer Goose pursued the suspects on foot. Riggs encountered one suspect who allegedly opened fire on Riggs and the two exchanged gunfire, according to LPD Chief Steve Wallen.

TWRA is also in the area, Trails 1, 2 and 3, and have sealed off the entrances and exits. The public is advised to avoid the area.

One of the suspects reportedly encountered a citizen and ask for a map, according to reports.

The men are considered armed and dangerous. A description of them includes they are dressed in red shirts and slides. They also have dreadlocks.

The non-shooting suspect was taken into custody late on Friday evening.

The U.S. Marshal Service, Caryville Police, La Follette Police and Fire and Scott County are some of the agencies working the case. Helicopters are also assisting from the air.

LFD first responders have been busy keeping everyone hydrated, and are on standby as a precaution. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 08/25/2023-7:45PM-UPDATED 08/25/2023-9:30PM)