KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. — The Anderson County Sheriff's Office is searching for a suspect who led deputies on a chase in a U-Haul truck Sunday night.
Deputies responded to a vehicle burglary in progress at 1226 Foust Carney Road in Claxton around 7:33 p.m.
The caller pulled into their driveway and said they saw the suspect taking items off their car. The suspect then fled in a U-Haul truck, according to ACSO.
The caller's husband followed the U-Haul truck into South Clinton where the suspect turned on Hiway Drive, ACSO said.
ACSO Sgt. LB Steele was on Hiway Drive and tried to conduct a traffic stop with the U-Haul truck. The truck did not stop and began turning onto side streets in the South Clinton community before getting back onto Clinch Avenue and driving south towards Clinton Highway, according to ACSO.
The chase carried into the Powell area of Knox County. The driver turned on East Emory Road and passed a vehicle on a narrow two-lane road, ACSO said.
ACSO eventually lost sight of the truck around First Baptist Church in Powell.
A short time later, Knox County dispatch notified deputies that a caller advised a U-Haul truck was abandoned in front of their house on Verona Road in Powell, ACSO said.
Upon arrival, deputies said they noticed the U-Haul truck was still running. The homeowner told deputies that the suspect fled on foot. The search for the suspect was not successful, ACSO said.
During the search of the U-Haul truck, deputies said they found a number of items including a pair of brown gloves, wireless cutting tools, and a wallet containing the identification of 42-year-old Elgin Weaver.
ACSO said that Weaver's name was on the rental agreement for the U-Haul truck which was supposed to be returned on Dec. 21.
During this process, ACSO was advised that a driver in a U-Haul truck attempted to run over a Loudon County deputy, but got away.
The U-Haul truck was towed to ACSO's impound lot for evidentiary purposes.
The case has been referred to ACSO's Criminal Investigation Division for further investigation.
According to Knox County's crime database, Weaver has a court date on January 3, 2022 for theft of merchandise up to $1,000 and driving with a revoked license. Weaver has a lengthy criminal history dating back to 1997, including several convictions over the past two decades for aggravated burglary, driving under the influence, public intoxication, evading arrest, assault, and shoplifting.