Interstate footchase ends with multiple charges
A man who later was arrested and charged with a variety of offenses led Knox County Sheriff’s Office patrolmen on a footchase along Interstate 40-75 Thursday morning, June 24.
Jacob Eich, no address provided, 28, initially was discovered in a parked 2012 Ford Focus alongside a passenger, Samantha Keeton, in the Regal Pinnacle movie theater parking lot, 11240 Parkside Drive, about 8:30 a.m.
By the time officers arrived, Eich had fled on foot through the Carmax parking lot, where he was spotted by Officer Nicholas Courtney, who pursued the suspect. Another officer deployed a taser “with no effect,” according to the police report, and Eich continued to flee on foot onto the Interstate, where he was ultimately apprehended and taken into custody.
Eich was discovered to have outstanding warrants out of Walker County, Georgia, including possession of methamphetamine, Failure to Appear, simple battery and criminal trespassing. He also had larceny charges out of Chattanooga (Hamilton County). Both counties planned to extradite, according to the report.
A car search uncovered about 5.46 grams of heroin, along with 2.14 grams of marijuana in the center console, with both suspects denying ownership. A handgun also was located in the driver-side door of the vehicle, as was drug paraphernalia, the latter of which Keeton claimed as hers. She was charged with two counts of simple possession and possession of drug paraphernalia. Eich was charged with two counts simple possession, fleeing and felony possession of a handgun.
Further investigation found stolen Dewalt tools inside the vehicle, which had been taken from a parked vehicle along Perimeter Park Road, with an estimated value of $3,000, along with six catalytic converters. One of the latter, from a Ford F250 that had been taken along American Glass Way, was valued at $1,200 and had been reported stolen earlier that morning.
Eich, who admitted to stealing the tools according to KCSO, also was charged with burglary of a vehicle. He remained in custody at Knox County Detention Center as of Tuesday, June 29. Recovered catalytic converter and tools were returned to their owners.
