Cardarius Demonte Caldwell
A man wanted for rape in Nashville was arrested Wednesday afternoon in Chattanooga after an extensive freeway chase.
The vehicle reached speeds of above 100 mph and caused multiple wrecks in Chattanooga and had traffic tied up for hours.
A state trooper suffered minor injuries. A report said that Caldwell's "reckless driving caused Trooper Napio to run off the right side of the roadway, went up on embankment and struck the bridge concrete support. Trooper Napio was injured and transported to the hospital."
The Tennessee Highway Patrol said it had been on the outlook for the suspect and had a good description of the silver vehicle he was driving. The chase began near the state line at mile marker 172 soon after the vehicle was spotted.
Charged was 20-year-old Cardarius Demonte Caldwell, who allegedly sexually assaulted a woman from Rutherford County that he met on Facebook. Police said he held a gun on her at a house on Cherry Street in Nashville.
Police were alerted when a neighbor heard the woman screaming around 2:15 a.m. An officer helped the woman out of the house, and Caldwell jumped out of a window.
He ran to a gas station, where he stole a car.
Caldwell was finally taken into custody near the East Brainerd Road exit.
He is facing multiple charges, including felony reckless endangerment, nine counts of felony reckless assault with a motor vehicle, felony evading arrest by a motor vehicle and theft over $10,000.
Caldwell was taken to the Hamilton County Jail after his arrest.