Rosana Hughes
Chattanooga Times
HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. — A man was arrested Tuesday evening after not cooperating with law enforcement checkpoints in tornado-ravaged neighborhoods and driving away while a state trooper’s arm was still in the vehicle’s window.
William Raymond Reed, 58, arrived at a Holly Hills subdivision checkpoint in the 2500 block of Wessex Lane and became “irate and began cussing” at the Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper, according to Hamilton County court records.
Holly Hills Subdivision was one of the hardest hit areas by the EF-3 tornado that killed at least 11 people, left dozens injured and damaged hundreds of homes and businesses in Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia Sunday night into Monday morning.
Chattanooga officials urged the public on Monday to stay away from impacted areas, and checkpoints have been set up until further notice to ensure only citizens and essential personnel enter affected areas, especially between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. each day.
On Tuesday evening, the trooper was trying to verify Reed’s residence and inform him of how the checkpoint worked and why it was set up. That’s when Reed sped off with the trooper’s arm inside the car window, causing abrasions to his right arm, court records state. THP officials declined to comment Wednesday afternoon and didn’t provide an update on the trooper’s condition.
Before Reed got too far away, the trooper had taken note of the driver’s license plate, and Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office deputies tracked down the registered address through dispatch. And as it turned out, Reed lived on Bay Berry Drive, just two streets over from where the checkpoint was set up.
Deputies knocked on his door and asked Reed to open the door so they could talk about what had just happened.
“Mr. Reed responded with ‘Am I under arrest?’” court records state. To which, deputies responded, “Yes, yes you are.”
Deputies had to make forcible entry into his home, and Reed began resisting arrest. But after being taken to the ground, he was cuffed and taken to the Hamilton County Jail without further incident.
Reed is charged with aggravated assault on police and resisting arrest, court records show. Additional charges are pending, according to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office.
His bond was set at $4,000, and he is expected in court on May 18.
It’s not clear whether Reed would have been allowed past the checkpoint, had he been more patient, given the nearness of his home.