Around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Knoxville police, with help from the Tennessee Highway Patrol, pulled over a vehicle in the parking lot of the Shoney's on Rutledge Pike and arrested a 57-year-old man on outstanding warrants. After spotting items they considered suspicious inside the car, officers called in the department's hazardous device unit. Technicians later determined the objects did not pose an active threat. No injuries were reported, and the area was cleared once the investigation wrapped up.
Arrest Linked to South Carolina Warrants
According to Knoxville Police Department - TN, officers tracked down the vehicle in the Shoney's lot and detained 57-year-old Aaron Wiles on outstanding warrants from South Carolina, accusing him of making hoax bomb threats. The department said Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers assisted at the scene while members of the KPD hazardous device unit examined the items inside the car. Detectives continued their work in the parking lot as Wiles was taken into custody without further incident.
Scene And Response
The stop unfolded at the Shoney's location on Rutledge Pike, which the chain's location page lists at 4020 Rutledge Pike. Officers temporarily blocked off the parking area while hazardous device personnel checked the vehicle and then cleared the scene. Patrol officers and KPD staff coordinated to keep patrons and employees safe while the investigation was underway.
Legal Process
Per the Knoxville Police Department, Wiles was wanted on warrants out of South Carolina alleging he made hoax bomb threats, though the post does not indicate whether formal charges or indictments were already in place. South Carolina law includes provisions that make it unlawful to place or deliver a fake bomb or to file false reports involving explosives; those statutes are detailed in the South Carolina Code. For any updates or public records related to the case, readers should contact the agencies referenced in the department's statement.
