KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A man who carjacked a woman in downtown Knoxville was sentenced to 16 years in prison with no possibility of parole, the Knox County District Attorney General's Office said.
A jury convicted Tyler Christian, 31, for carjacking and driving on a revoked license after a two-day trial in August.
According to the DA's office, the Knoxville Police Department responded to a carjacking in downtown Knoxville at Locust Street and Cafego Place on March 20 around 1 p.m.
KPD said a 40-year-old woman was parked in front of Summit Towers waiting to pick up Christian and another woman, identified as Elizabeth Terry, to take them to the KAT bus station.
When Christian and Terry arrived, prosecutors said Christian approached the driver's door and ripped the woman out of the driver's seat.
The DA's office shared surveillance video of the incident, which you can watch below.
KPD said Terry attacked the victim before jumping into the car. The two drove off and were arrested about an hour later after they crashed the vehicle on Andersonville Pike at Emory Road in Halls, which led to schools locking down in the Halls Crossroads area.
The two tried to run from the crash and were later captured at the Weigel's on Emory Road after the Knox County Sheriff's Office brought out its K-9s and Airwatch helicopter.
“Quick work by the police department took these dangerous offenders off our streets, and hard work by the prosecutors in my office made sure they will stay off our streets for many years,” Allen said.
According to the DA's office, Christian had previous felony convictions for burglary, theft and evading arrest. Allen said they also identified him as a member of the Rollin 20s Crips gang.
Terry pleaded guilty to carjacking and aggravated assault in the case and was sentenced to eight years in prison.