On an early Sunday morning, the Tennessee Highway Patrol became entangled in a chase scenario after a man, handcuffed and detained, commandeered one of their patrol vehicles before crashing it. The saga began around 6:15 a.m. when troopers patrolling Smith County noticed a suspicious vehicle at the Buffalo Valley Rest Area off Interstate 40. As reported by WVLT, the vehicle was confirmed stolen upon inspection.
They found Charles D. Lawson, 55, of Tennessee, and Karen Vallie, 42, from Montana, asleep inside the vehicle. Lawson attempted to deceive the officers with a fake name and Social Security number. However, his true identity was soon unveiled. While troopers searched the stolen car and interviewed Vallie, Lawson seized the moment, somehow managing to gain control of the THP patrol vehicle despite the constraint of handcuffs, and fled.
Shortly after his daring escape, Lawson crashed the vehicle in Putnam County near Tucker Ridge Road. None of the weapons within the THP patrol vehicle were taken. Thus, authorities have indicated there's no reason to believe Lawson is armed, a detail corroborated by WKRN.
Lawson, described as 5 feet 9 inches, 145 pounds, with brown hair and a large tattoo on his upper right arm, was last seen shirtless, in blue shorts, and without shoes, as per details given by FOX17. The search for Lawson is intensive, utilizing both K-9 units and THP Aviation to assist in locating the escapee. The THP advises anyone who sees Lawson to avoid approaching him and call 911 immediately.
As this unusual incident unfolds, the THP's investigation continues. No additional details about the broader implications of the escape nor the initial theft of the vehicle in which Lawson was initially found have been released.
