KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Knoxville Police Department officers arrested several people with warrants and recovered many guns over the weekend on Cumberland Avenue. In total, police said four people were arrested and many had drugs such as marijuana and heroin on them.
At around 11:15 p.m. on Friday, May 14, officers found a green Honda sedan at 1931 Cumberland Avenue. They smelled marijuana from the vehicle and searched it, finding a bag of various types of drugs. They also found two guns in the car, according to a release from officials.
Dustin Dodgen, 26, admitted to owning the guns, narcotics and drug paraphernalia. He was arrested on multiple counts of drug possession and unlawful possession of a weapon.
Later that evening at around 12:30 a.m. patrol officers saw a wanted suspect — Joshua Welcome, 24. He was arrested on multiple outstanding warrants, including two counts of domestic assault and one count of felony evading.
They also found drugs believed to be marijuana and heroin on him, according to a release. He was arrested without any incident.
Then, at around 1 a.m. on Saturday, police saw an empty Dodge Charger at a gas pump at a Shell gas station on Cumberland Avenue. People nearby said they did not know the owner or driver, according to police.
Police continued investigating the car and requested a K-9. The dog alerted officers and they searched the car, according to officials. Police said they found a loaded gun as well as an Oxycodone tablet.
The next day, at around 12:15 a.m. on Sunday, police saw a man sitting in the passenger's seat of a gold Nissan Maxima at 2021 Cumberland Avenue. The store was closed at the time, officials said.
Police approached him and he was identified as J'Marea Pirtle, 21 years old. According to police, he had a semi-automatic handgun as well as an AR-15 pistol. A K-9 unit also alerted officers and they searched the car, finding what was presumed to be heroin.
Pirtle was arrested and charged with schedule 1 drug violations as well as gun possession charges.
Around the same time he was arrested, police saw a man in the driver's seat of a white Ford Expedition in the parking lot of the same address. As they approached, police said he ran away and they chased him, arresting him. He was identified as Jahvionte Bray, 18 years old.
Bray had a warrant for aggravated assault and police said they found three key fobs to different cars. The Ford Expedition was reported as stolen, they said. Police also said they found a loaded AR-15 and marijuana inside the car.