Dennis Ray Baldwin, 48, was arrested on Wednesday for DUI, evading arrest, aggravated vehicular assault, and several other charges after an incident on Highway 58.
An officer noticed a white Dodge van traveling south on Highway 58 with a broken headlight.
While following this vehicle, the officer noted that the driver drifted out of his lane multiple times and was found to be traveling 60 mph in a 45-mph zone.
When the officer stopped the van, the driver, Baldwin, handed him a Tennessee driver’s license which said he was revoked for DUI. The officer also noticed an open 32-ounce can of beer sitting in the driver’s cup holder.
Baldwin admitted to being revoked, and after the officer noticed a strong smell of alcohol on his breath in addition to his slurred speech and bloodshot eyes, he was asked to step out of the vehicle.
The officer grabbed his left wrist, but the defendant pulled away and pushed the officer back before putting the van in drive. Having fallen, the officer said he was nearly run over as Baldwin escaped. The defendant traveled about 100 yards and then crashed into an embankment in failing to make a turn onto Harvest Run Drive.
The defendant ran up Harvest Run Drive on foot, ignoring commands to stop, and attempted to escape into a nearby treeline. However, the brush was too thick to pass through so he turned to face the officer and put up fists in a fighting stance.
The officer then tased the defendant in his right leg, but he continued to fight against detainment until another officer arrived and was able to help put Baldwin in handcuffs. He again tried to escape while being escorted to the car in handcuffs, but was tackled to the ground before he could get away.
Baldwin has been convicted of DUI 10 times, most recently in 2012, and was declared a habitual offender in 2006.