Search Continues for Missing Teens After Police Chase Near Tennessee River in Loudon County

The search for two teenagers missing after a police chase on I-75 near the Tennessee River in Loudon County is ongoing as multiple agencies comb through the surrounding areas, according to authorities. The Loudon County Sheriff's Office, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, and several local emergency services are involved in the operation. The ordeal began yesterday morning when the Tennessee Highway Patrol and Sweetwater Police Department pursued a stolen vehicle that was later found abandoned near the Tennessee River Bridge, according to WVLT.

Details from WBIR state that a multi-agency search ensued, involving K-9 units and drones to investigate the area around the bridge and nearby woods. Following the end of the pursuit and the discovery of the vehicle, the suspects had already fled the scene. Early morning break-ins reported by residents in the Lake Drive community led deputies to a teenage boy who claimed that he and the two missing teens had jumped into the water from the Tennessee River Bridge. The search was paused last night and resumed this morning.

Later in the day, the Loudon County 911 Center received calls about vehicle break-ins in the Lake Drive area, and a deputy detained a teen on a resident's porch. As per information obtained by WATE during questioning, the detainee revealed that the group had jumped from the bridge into the river. Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Knox County Sheriff's Office, have joined the search for the teens. Officials are urging the public to report any suspicious activity to the Loudon County Communication Center at 865-458-9081.

"There is a good possibility, but we are not sure," Corporal Cody Bengel stated, reflecting the uncertainty that shadows the search for the missing teens, adding that they are searching the river, woods, and surrounding areas, as noted by WBIR.