A Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper from Cumberland County has been indicted by the Bledsoe County Grand Jury on multiple charges after he allegedly interfered in the investigation of a fatal crash involving his family members.
According to a press release from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, “on Aug. 8, at the request of 12th Judicial District Attorney General Courtney Lynch, TBI agents began investigating allegations involving Jeremy Wayne Newcomb, 48,” a resident of the Westel community.
“The investigation revealed that Newcomb, while off-duty, responded to the scene of a deadly crash in Pikeville involving a family member who was the driver.”
This week the grand jury in Pikeville returned indictments charging Newcomb with one count of tampering with or fabricating evidence, one count of official misconduct and one count of accessory after the fact.
Newcome surrendered to authorities, was booked and posted $25,000 bond.
Trooper Newcomb is on discretionary leave during the legal process. A THP spokesperson said as an ongoing investigation, THP can not issue any comment.
The TBI press release concluded, “The charges and allegations referenced in this release are merely accusations of criminal conduct and not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law.”