A Cookeville man’s flight from sheriff’s deputies ended abruptly when the suspect drove his vehicle into a farm pond and was taken into custody after a brief struggle.
The incident occurred Nov. 23 around 3:30 a.m. at a TVA substation in the 5800 block of Plateau Rd., according to Cumberland County Sheriff’s Deputy Brent Griffin’s report.
Dane Newman Carr, 38, Brookstone Dr., Cookeville, is charged with burglary, theft of property, possession of burglary tools, evading arrest, resisting arrest, vandalism and driving on a revoked license.
Deputies were dispatched to the substation on a report of a burglary in progress and found a coded door had been pried open with a wedged jammed in the door to keep it from closing.
A TVA police dispatcher, who called in the burglary in progress after observing a man entering the building on surveillance video, reported the incident to 911.
When Cpl. Ryan Ashburn, Deputy Tyler Leary and Griffin announced their presence, a man ran from the building, got into a Chevrolet Tahoe and fled from the scene, turning onto Carey Dr., according to Griffin’s report.
The man drove a short distance, turned into a field and into a farm pond. When deputies caught up with the suspect, they found him sitting on top of the vehicle. The suspect was ordered to swim to the pond’s edge but then struggled with officers as they attempted to place him in handcuffs.
Sgt. Jason Powers arrived by this time and the officers were able to place the suspect in custody.
When the vehicle was towed from the pond, deputies recovered multiple pry tools, bolt cutters and other tools inside the vehicle. Also recovered was $2,500 worth of copper wire found on the ground beside a security fence that had been cut. Damage was placed at $500.
Bond for Carr was set at $54,500. He appeared in General Sessions Court and was appointed legal representation from the Public Defender’s Office. A bond hearing was set for Thursday but details were not available at press time.