LOUDON COUNTY, Tenn. — The 43-year-old trucker accused of hitting and killing Loudon County Sgt. Chris Jenkins in 2022 pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide by intoxication on Wednesday.
Christopher Savannah was under the influence of marijuana when he hit and killed the Loudon County deputy with his semi-truck on I-75 on Feb. 3, 2022. Jenkins was trying to remove a ladder that had fallen off a different truck from the roadway.
Jenkins' family fought through tears as they testified in court Wednesday about their loss, remembering the man who was taken from them nearly two years ago.
"A year and 9 months ago I watched my grandmother bury her only son. I watched my aunt lay her baby brother to rest. I watched my step-mom lose the man she was supposed to spend the rest of her life with, and I watched my brother say goodbye to his best friend," Jenkins' daughter, Chloee Jenkins, said. She was still in high school when her father died.
"The pain of that alone was too much to withstand. Since then, I've attended two high school proms, neither of which was I able to take pictures with him. I played a softball season where he wasn't in the stands for me to look at every time I crossed home plate. I visited Washington, D.C. It was a trip he always talked about taking me on, and instead of walking down the Memorial Walk with him, I saw his name engraved on it," she said.
Jenkins' mother, Faye Everett, addressed Savannah as she spoke in court, conveying the gravity and grief of losing her son by saying Savannah's mother would also love him no matter what.
"That's what I did... no matter what," Everett said. "I'm just speaking from inside my heart, and if any of you could see how broken it is by watching my family and children hurt... and I can't do anything about it. I just try to be strong for them."
Jenkins' son, Clay Jenkins, worked as a deputy with his father at the Loudon County Sheriff's Office and took on his badge number after his death so he would always be with him. His father remains his hero.
"I have always dreamed of being the man and father he was, but my kids will never get to meet him... only hear our stories," Clay Jenkins said.
Clay Jenkins held his gaze on Savannah at the end as he spoke his piece in court, putting his faith in God and offering the man who killed his father one thing: forgiveness.
"Mr. Savannah, in Colossians 3:13 it says to forgive as the Lord forgave you. Mr. Savannah... we both forgive you," he said. "When you leave here today, however, I want you to look at your wrists and know that they came from him, because those were the same that were put on you on February 3, 2022."
Savannah spoke to the family and expressed remorse before he was taken out of the courtroom in the handcuffs Jenkins' son referred to, struggling to speak as he cried.
"There's not... any words that could come out of my mouth that could console or comfort the loss of life, but I truly am sorry. 100% apologetic for my involvement in this ordeal. I am a father. I do still have my mother. I have a 16-year-old son. He's also a Christopher. His birthday is Friday," Savannah said before bursting into tears.
The family could be heard sobbing as Savannah spoke about his own family.
"But I am grateful there's some room in their hearts to forgive me. Once again, I do apologize," he said. "I had no intention... I won't be selfish and ask for time to undo what is already done. Moving forward, I pray you do find some comfort in our Lord Jesus Christ..."
After apologizing one last time, Savannah looked down at his wrists as Loudon County deputies put handcuffs around them. He was escorted out of the room and court was adjourned.
Savannah pleaded guilty at the Roane County Courthouse in front of Criminal Court Judge Jeff Wicks. His plea agreement includes a 10-year prison sentence for vehicular homicide with credit for the time he's already served. He would be eligible for release after serving 30% of his sentence, which would be as early as Feb. 2025.
Over the course of the investigation, it was determined at the scene of the crash, through field sobriety tests and sample blood testing, that Savannah was under the influence of marijuana. He also admitted to smoking marijuana before and while driving the semi, according to the DA.
The DA clarified that Savannah was in custody since he was originally charged on the day of the incident. He has no prior criminal history and under Tennessee’s vehicular homicide law at the time that Jenkins was killed, the sentence range for vehicular homicide starts at eight years, meaning the agreement adds two years to that sentence.
The plea agreement was made at the request of Chris Jenkins' son, Loudon County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Detective Clay Jenkins, and the agreement was confirmed with the family members, according to the DA.
"There is always hope that the prison sentence will give the defendant sufficient time to focus his attention on making a better outcome for his future after prison. Also, by him accepting responsibility for his role and guilt in Chris Jenkins’ death, he has hopefully helped himself and, hopefully, the Jenkins family," the DA said.