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During a parole hearing on Tuesday, Board of Parole Chairman Roberta Kustoff voted to deny parole for Christopher Savannah, the truck driver who hit and killed Loudon County Sergeant Chris Jenkins in 2022. Information from WVLT states that the recommendation came at the close of the initial parole hearing, citing the gravity of Savannah's offense.
Kustoff's vote is just one step in the parole process, and Savannah's case must now be independently reviewed by the seven-member board. A majority of four votes will be required to formally decide on Savannah's parole status. As explained by WATE, the final decision is expected within the coming weeks. Savannah, who is currently serving a 10-year sentence for vehicular homicide among other charges, will be eligible to be reviewed again for parole in three years.
The tragic incident occurred when Sgt. Jenkins was struck by a tractor-trailer while he was removing a ladder from I-75 in Loudon County. According to a statement obtained by WATE, Savannah was under the influence of marijuana at the time of the accident. Following this event, a piece of legislation known as the "Sergeant Chris Jenkins Law" was enacted, which stipulates the unsecured transportation of ladders as a punishable offense.
Throughout the hearing, Savannah expressed remorse for his actions. "He says he thinks about it every day," as noted by WBIR. Despite his regret and having completed a substance abuse program, Kustoff reminded Savannah of the evidence found of marijuana use at the time of the crash. Kustoff encouraged Savannah to continue to better himself through programming and maintaining good behavior in prison. Jenkins' family members spoke out against Savannah's parole, with hopes for his rehabilitation while acknowledging the pain his actions have caused.
Returns on the board's independent review of Savannah's parole case, which involves weighing a host of criteria such as crime severity and institutional behavior, are awaited.
