Crime Spree Ends In Jefferson County For Joshua Wayne Cooper

Jefferson County was the end of the road for fugitive Joshua Wayne Cooper, who had eluded police for several days following his escape from arrest for stealing multiple automobiles in a cross county crime spree. On Sunday evening, March 15, 2015 Cooper stole another automobile from Exit 8 in Morristown and proceeded to the Walmart in Jefferson City, Tn where he shoplifted spray paint. According to Jefferson County Sheriff G.W. “Bud” McCoig, around 11:30 pm Cooper proceeded to Dandridge, where he was spotted by Dandridge Police Officer Ethan Shults. Office Shults pursued the suspect, who was traveling down hwy 25-70 to hwy 113 at around 120 mph. Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Scott Ward was located near Swann’s Bridge and joined Shults in the chase as Cooper took a left hand turn under Interstate 40 and entered west bound traffic traveling east. The suspect was wedged by a tractor trailer truck that had halted to avoid Cooper’s path. The truck sustained little damage but impact from the suspect’s car, as he slammed it in reverse, did extensive damage to the Dandridge cruiser, in Cooper’s effort to escape capture. Deputy Ward broke out the suspect’s window and he was tazed by Shults but the chase did not reach an end until Cooper, Ward and Shultz had gone down a steep embankment, where the suspect was finally subdued.

The arrest of Cooper ended nearly a week of interaction with police in multiple counties and took its toll on surrounding counties police fleets, as more than seven cars were targeted by Cooper. Sheriff McCoig and Dandridge Police Chief Carson Williams commended the officers involved for bringing Cooper in and limiting the number of injuries that could have been sustained in such a tense situation. The suspect was transferred by ambulance to Jefferson Memorial Hospital, where he was treated and released. Both officers involved were also treated and released at JMH. Sheriff McCoig said that Cooper was in possession of schedule 2 narcotics at the time of his arrest and his bond has been set at $1 million dollars in Jefferson County. He will also face charges in other surrounding counties.