Jonathan Wayde Russell wanted to tell the jury his story. And, oh, did he have a story to tell.
“They blacked me out. I didn’t get in that car. I didn’t see it happen. I didn’t do anything, as God as my witness,” he said in his defense.
Russell, 42, formerly a resident of Randolph Road, was on trial Wednesday for stealing a Pikeville man’s vehicle, leading police on a dangerous and reckless chase that ended with a crash involving two other vehicles within a stone’s throw of where it all began.
The defendant rejected an earlier state offer of a plea in exchange for a 12-year prison sentence to be served at 60%. He now faces up to 30 years in prison at 60% because of 19 previous convictions on his record.
Against the advice of his attorney, Jeff Vires, Russell launched into an interesting narrative from the witness stand.
Russell explained he remembered going with his father to the Flowers outlet store at the corner of North Main Street and Elmore Road, walking to a nearby store for cigarettes. When he returned to the Flowers store, his father had left him.
He remembers walking toward a red vehicle, and, in his words, “Vussssus,” tilting his head to the side and closing his eyes, someone “electro-chlorofoamed,” him and he blacked out.
When asked why someone would do such a thing, Russell said, “Because I am a Mason and they wanted me to give them secrets about the Masons,” he said of the world’s largest fraternal organization. “I don’t know anything about it.”
The jury sat straight-faced and apparently did not buy the story. Jurors were out of the courtroom only about 25 minutes before returning with a guilty verdict on the indicted charges of felony reckless endangerment, felony evading arrest and theft of property (auto) of $2,500 to $10,000.
Assistant District Attorney Philip Hatch did a good job of painting a picture of the Oct. 5, 2023, without belaboring facts on that day.
Clifford Smith testified he traveled from his home in Pikeville to Crossville in his 1998 Jimmy vehicle for a doctor’s appointment. He stopped by the Flowers outlet store to purchase some snacks and dropped his vehicle keys onto the floorboard of the Jimmy.
Smith said he completed his purchase and was walking toward the door when he heard his Jimmy start.
He testified that he looked out to see a stranger behind the wheel, saying he dropped his case of snack cakes, ran to the parking lot in time to see his vehicle backing out the parking space, nearly striking an incoming vehicle, and racing past him onto Elmore Road.
Moments later, “I saw my Jimmy coming up the road wide-open,” he said, witnessing the collision between a pickup truck and his vehicle, the latter of which ended up on its side.
Smith said his Jimmy was a total loss because of the impact.
Crossville Fire Chief Chris South happened to be on Hwy. 70 West, having just left the city shop where he filled his fire vehicle with gas. He heard the broadcast of a stolen vehicle and moments later the same vehicle passed him traveling outbound on Hwy. 70 West.
South testified he alerted police to the location and followed the Jimmy in and out of parking lots until police arrived. He was headed to his office when he heard the vehicle had crashed on Elmore Road and North Main Street, and he responded.
Russell had to be extricated from the wreckage of the Jimmy and was found to by “unarousable and unresponsive,” South said.
Narcan, a substance that reverses the affects of most controlled drugs, was administered, the fire chief said. He testified Russell responded as would be expected and was a bit addled and combative.
Russell was airlifted to Erlanger Medical Center’s trauma center. He was later taken into custody at the Chattanooga facility.
Crossville Police Lt. Larry Qualls was the next witness, testifying he responded to Tractor Supply’s parking lot where he spotted the Jimmy and turned on his blue lights.
Instead of stopping, the Jimmy accelerated in and out of parking aisles and spaces, nearly striking vehicles, and exited at the red light by KFC, Qualls added.
Traffic was heavy with many motorists traveling on their lunch breaks at two of the busiest intersections in the city.
The driver of the Jimmy led police — by this time, four patrol cars — around the National Guard Armory parking lot, through the grass and eventually onto Hwy. 70 West and Elmore Road.
In all, stop signs and three red lights were run during Russell’s flight from police.
It ended when Russell ran the red light at Elmore Road and North Main Street and collided with Michael Welch’s pickup truck, ripping the front off it and causing the Jimmy to flip onto its side and collide with a Volkswagen car.
Welch, of Putnam County, and the unidentified driver of the Volkswagen were not seriously injured.
With that evidence presented to the jury, Hatch rested the state’s case.
Vires then informed the court that his client wanted to testify.
“I have no idea what Mr. Russell has to say,” Vires told Judge Shawn Fry.
Vires successfully challenged the state’s plan to enter 19 prior convictions if Russell testified.
In the end, the jury was only informed of a felony forgery conviction in Harris County, TX, in 2016.
Vires advised Russell of the peril he faced should he take the witness stand. The ultimate decision to testify was Russell’s, who told the court, “I just want to tell the story and get it over with.”
Judge Fry set a Feb. 17 sentencing hearing at which time it will be determined the length and manner of prison sentence Russell will face. He remains in custody, as he has since his arrest two years ago.