SEVIER COUNTY, Tenn. — Sevierville officials said stabbing and carjacking suspect Shawn White, 43, was hospitalized Monday after crashing a garbage truck into a building on Dolly Parton Parkway following a police chase that started in Knox County on Chapman Highway.
According to an investigation by the Knoxville Police Department's Violent Crimes Unit, officers received a report of domestic disturbance in the Fountain City area early Monday.
While driving with his mother on Broadway, White became agitated, according to police reports. They ended up in a commercial parking lot.
White stabbed his mother in the hands and then drove off in her Nissan, according to reports. She suffered non-life-threatening injuries. First-responders treated her wounds.
A short time later, her Nissan was found crashed in the 500 block of Henley Street downtown. White had left the scene before officers arrived, according to a release.
KPD said at some point after the crash, White then allegedly flagged down a garbage truck that was driving on Henley Street.
After the truck stopped, the suspect reportedly got in the truck cab, held the driver at knifepoint and forced him to continue driving south on Henley Street towards Chapman Highway, according to officials.
KPD said White, who has a lengthy criminal record that includes time in the Tennessee prison system, stabbed the driver multiple times before the driver ultimately jumped out of the moving vehicle on Chapman Highway. The driver suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
The suspect then took control of the garbage truck and continued driving down Chapman Highway, reportedly hitting several cars along the way, according to officials. No injuries were reported.
The Sevier County Sheriff's Office alerted Sevierville officials that the stolen garbage truck was coming toward the city just after 7 a.m.
A few minutes later, the Sevierville Police Department said it successfully deployed spike strips near Hardee’s restaurant on West Main Street.
The truck crashed into Tennessee Hot Tubs on Dolly Parton Parkway just before 7:10 a.m., according to a city of Sevierville spokesperson.
10News viewer TJ Dutton sent us a video of the crash. You can watch it below.
The Sevierville Fire Department extracted the trapped suspect from the truck, and the sheriff's office took custody of them, according to officials. The suspect was taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center for their injuries from the crash.
Officials said the truck hit one parked, unoccupied vehicle at the crash scene.
Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.
KPD said there are numerous charges forthcoming on White.