A McMinn County man was arrested in Bradley County after avoiding a sobriety checkpoint last Saturday.
Sheriff Watson and several officers affiliated with the BCSO Public Safety Unit were manning a checkpoint in the immediate area of Lower River Road and Eureka Road. At approximately 7:45 p.m. Saturday, Sheriff Watson and Sergeant Mario Santos noticed a black truck make a fast U-turn in the roadway near a sharp, blind curve on a double (no passing) yellow line.
The sheriff informed other deputies handling the detail of the incident that the driver, later identified as William Jeffery Coker, of County Road 788 in McMinn County, had entered the western-most area of Eads Bluff Road. At that time Deputy Daniel Marlow observed the vehicle in question turn from Eads Bluff to Casson Lippard Road, also in extreme northern Bradley County. At the dead end of the road, Deputy Marlow located the vehicle abandoned, moments later. Sheriff Watson other officers from the PSU, as well as Lieutenant Dennis Goins, arrived shortly thereafter.
Deputies ran the registration to the 2002 Dodge Ram, receiving information the vehicle in question belonged to Mr. Charlie Mobriant of Meigs County. At the request of Bradley County officers, Meigs County deputies quickly responded to Mr. Mobriant’s residence in Decatur. They relayed the information to Bradley County officers that Mr. Mobriant has entrusted the Dodge Ram truck to Coker so he (Coker) could make some repairs on it. Deputies acquired Mr. Coker’s phone number, spoke to him about the situation, as well as about the fact Meigs County possessed warrants against him.
Coker agreed to speak with Bradley County officers about the checkpoint incident, as well as turn himself in to Meigs County Sheriff’s Officers on felony warrants, where he remains in custody.
Coker admitted to Officer Marlow that he was operating the 2002 Dodge truck in question, and that he panicked when he saw the blue lights signaling the Sobriety Checkpoint, making a U-turn and speeding away from the officers, soon fleeing the area on foot.
Sheriff Watson said, “Our officers safely stopped some 525 cooperative drivers during the sobriety checkpoint last Saturday. Mr. Coker chose to endanger Bradley County citizens and my officers due to his stupidity. I was glad to see members of the BCSO Public Safety Unit and other deputies considered this investigation 'unstoppable' until we made an arrest.”
Coker has been charged with felony evading, evading arrest, driving while revoked and illegal turning movement.