A tow truck driver is recovering after a North Carolina man allegedly held a knife to the driver's neck, sliced him, stole his truck, and then led authorities on a chase before he crashed, according to police reports.
Grayson Anthony Woodside, 33, of Sherrills Ford, was booked into the Jefferson County Jail Saturday morning on charges including especially aggravated robbery, aggravated assault, theft of property over $63,000, evading arrest and reckless endangerment.
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said deputies were dispatched to Spring Creek Road and Brethren Church Road on Saturday morning for a crash involving a 2002 Mercedes Benz that had ran off the side of the road. When they arrived, they found Woodside walking along Highway 113 at exit 424.
Woodside was issued a citation and Supreme Towing was called to tow his vehicle, the report states.
According to deputies, tow truck driver David Brooks arrived and put Woodside's car on the truck. Woodside then asked Brooks if he would take him to middle Tennessee and said he would give him the title to the Mercedes Benz.
Brooks said he couldn't go that far but, according to the report, he said he offered Woodside a ride to the Pilot Truck Stop at exit 417 right off Interstate 40 and he accepted that.
According to the report, deputies followed the wrecker and saw Brooks jump out from the driver's side door holding his neck at the intersection with Highway 25/70 and Hammer Road.
Deputies later learned the tow truck driver, Brooks, told them he was looking to his left for traffic when Woodside pulled out a knife and placed it to the left side of his neck and, the report states, he pulled the knife towards the right side while holding his head against the driver's side door window.
That's when the driver told deputies he pushed Woodside away enough to jump out of the truck and Woodside took over.
"I never seen the knife, I turned my head to look and I heard a click so I don’t know if it was a switch blade or what it was," Brooks told 10News Sunday.
Deputies said they then activated their blue lights and sirens and tried to stop the truck, which was continuing west down Highway 25/70. He was observed driving in a reckless manner crossing center lines.
Woodside continued to pass vehicles in non-passing zones and ran vehicles out of the road while speeding, according to the report.
He then got onto I-40 west and deputies said he exceeded 85 miles per hour and ran off the side of the road in Sevier County.
In a crash report, Tennessee Highway Patrol also said Woodside was driving under the influence, driving with a suspended license and reckless driving.
Brooks was taken to Jefferson Memorial Hospital for treatment. He said he had 14 stitches and is expected to make a full recovery.
Tennessee Highway Patrol and Sevierville Police assisted the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office in the chase.
Brooks told 10News he had been driving tow trucks for 22 years.
He said when he realized Woodside had cut his neck, he thought about crashing the wrecker nearby.
"I was thinking about running him through an old abandoned house that was sitting right beside of me," Brooks said.
But then Brooks told 10News he got scared and thought running would be better.
"I just took my arm and threw his arm off of me and I put it in park and jumped out and ran," Brooks said to 10News Sunday. "He was alright then he started acting weird, he acted like he was way out there," Brooks said.
He said he knew something had cut him but he didn't feel it at first. He said he just felt Woodside touch him.
Brooks later learned about the pursuit.
"I heard he went through town, hit people head on and then went to the interstate, he got to the 406, he wrecked my car and hit another car head-on I was told," Brooks said.
Brooks also said he heard Woodside had apparently cut his own throat.
"They took him to UT then transferred him to Jefferson County Detention Center," he said.
The sheriff's office confirmed Woodside cut his throat at or slightly before the crash on I-40 that ended the chase.