LOUDON COUNTY, Tenn. — A truck driver is facing numerous charges months after the death of Sgt. Chris Jenkins on Interstate 75 in February.
A Loudon County grand jury on August 9 indicted Christopher Savannah for one count of vehicular homicide by intoxication, one count of vehicular homicide by recklessness, one count of driving under the influence, three counts of felony reckless endangerment, one count of simple possession of marijuana, one count of driving on a suspended license, and other charges.
Savannah pleaded not guilty to the charges on a remote video feed from the Roane County Jail during his court arraignment on Monday.
Savannah drove a semi-truck on Feb. 3, ignored a rolling roadblock and hit and killed Jenkins as he was trying to remove a ladder that fell out of a vehicle on the heavily traveled interstate, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
Savannah admitted to smoking marijuana within four hours of the crash, Detective John Mayes of the Roane County Sheriff's Office testified. He was disqualified from having a commercial driver's license in 2020 because of a previous drug test violation, according to THP testimony.
A 20-year veteran, Sgt. Jenkins rose through the ranks of the Loudon County Sheriff's Office. Officials said he started as a corrections officer, then became a K-9 handler before a promotion to sergeant in 2021. He also was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force.
Savannah's trial is scheduled for May 10, 2023.