A Tennessee man who has been charged with homicide in the first degree found himself on the wrong side of the law again on May 10, according to media reports. The 64-year-old Cleveland resident was taken into custody by Bradley County Sheriff’s Office deputies on May 13 for allegedly trying to run his sister’s car off the road in a fit of rage. The victim is said to have witnessed the fatal shooting her brother is accused of committing and plans to give evidence at his trial.
The BCSO got involved after the Etowah Police Department obtained a warrant to arrest the man. The warrant was issued after officers determined that the man had attempted to strike his sister’s car while behind the wheel of his pickup truck. This harassment reportedly took place on the southbound lanes of South Tennessee Avenue in McMinn County. Both the man’s sister and her female passenger told officers that the pickup truck had pursued them, circled around them and tried to force them off the roadway.
The man is now accused of aggravated assault as well as first-degree murder. He will likely be remanded to custody as the judge who set his bond at $100,000 ordered him not to contact his sister. The murder charge stems from an April 27 incident outside the man’s McClanahan Road residence. Police say that he shot a man who was sitting in a car because he owed him money.
Attorneys with criminal law experience could advise individuals charged with murder, manslaughter or aggravated assault to avoid engaging in behavior that could make mounting an effective defense or negotiating a favorable plea agreement more difficult. While emotions may run high in these situations, approaching witnesses, tampering with evidence or attempting to flee could lead to additional charges and harsher penalties.