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Kingsport Police Department
200 Shelby Street • Kingsport, TN 37660 ThomasMPatton • 423-229-9433 (Desk) • 423-224-2786 (FAX) |
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| NEWS RELEASE | |||
| SUBJECT: | Burglary Suspect Apprehended Following Brief Pursuit | ||
| DATE: | August 1, 2014 | ||
| GENERAL NARRATIVE |
| On July 15, 2014 two suspects, one male and one female, were photographed by a motion sensing “trail camera” in the act of burglarizing a residence on Gravely Road in Kingsport. Of particular note, the male suspect had full “sleeve” tattoos completely covering both of his arms. During the burglary, the suspects stole cash, a firearm, and several electronic items with a combined total value of nearly $4,000. On July 22, the Kingsport Police Department released these photographs to the public, requesting assistance in identifying the suspects. To view this original release, please visit the link below:
Based on feedback from this previous news release, Derrick L. Lewis, was developed as a person of interest. Detectives also learned that Mr. Lewis was wanted on an outstanding warrant out of Bristol, Virginia for Violation of Probation based upon a prior conviction for Felony Shoplifting and Conspiracy to Commit Larceny. Detectives alerted fellow officers to be on the lookout for Mr. Lewis. On, July 31, 2014 at approximately 12:00 Noon, a Kingsport Police Patrol Officer spotted Mr. Lewis driving a gold Ford Contour southbound on Lynn Garden Drive in Kingsport. The officer noted that Mr. Lewis was not wearing his seatbelt. When the officer initiated a traffic stop, Mr. Lewis accelerated and fled in the vehicle reaching speeds as high as 20 miles per hour in excess of the posted speed limit. Mr. Lewis ran the red light on Lynn Garden Drive at Tranbarger Drive, then merged onto westbound West Stone Drive. He passed another motorist on the right shoulder of the roadway, then turned right onto Morrison Avenue and immediately right onto Fairmont Avenue, entering the Sevier Terrace subdivision. Mr. Lewis suddenly stopped the vehicle in the middle of the roadway and fled on foot. The pursuing officer called him by name and ordered him to halt; however, he ignored the commands and continued to flee. Additional officers descended upon the neighborhood, and he was quickly apprehended in the backyard of a nearby residence. Kingsport Detectives compared the tattoos of the male burglary suspect in the photos to those on Mr. Lewis, positively identifying him as the suspect in question. Further investigation revealed that Mr. Lewis was operating the vehicle while his driver license was revoked, and he had been classified by the State of Tennessee as a Habitual Traffic Offender. Mr. Lewis was arrested and charged with: 1) Aggravated Burglary (Felony) 2) Evading Arrest by Motor Vehicle (Felony) 3) Driving on a Revoked License as a Habitual Traffic Offender (Felony) 4) Reckless Endangerment (Felony) 5) Failure to Obey a Traffic Control Device (Running a Red Light) 6) Speeding (60 mph in a 20 mph Zone) 7) Improper Passing (Passing on the Shoulder) 8) Violation of Seatbelt Law 9) Fugitive from Justice (Wanted on Outstanding Warrant for Violation of Probation out of Bristol, VA) He was transported to the Kingsport City Jail where he is being held without bond. During the pursuit, Mr. Lewis was accompanied in the vehicle by a female passenger; however, she was not the same female who was his accomplice in the earlier burglary. He refused to divulge the identity of his co-conspirator in the burglary. Kingsport Police Detectives are still attempting to learn her identity. Anyone who can assist them with this endeavor is asked to contact the K.P.D. Criminal Investigations Division at 423-229-9429 or Kingsport Central Dispatch at 423-246-9111. |
| SUSPECT INFORMATION | |
| Name | Derrick L. Lewis |
| Age | Date of Birth 10/6/1978
35 Years of Age |
| Race/Gender | Other/Male |
| Residency | 2855 Highway 91
Elizabethton, TN |
| Charge(s) | 1) Aggravated Burglary (Felony)
2) Evading Arrest by Motor Vehicle (Felony) 3) Driving on a Revoked License as a Habitual Traffic Offender (Felony) 4) Reckless Endangerment (Felony) 5) Failure to Obey a Traffic Control Device (Running a Red Light) 6) Speeding (60 mph in a 20 mph Zone) 7) Improper Passing (Passing on the Shoulder) 8) Violation of Seatbelt Law 9) Fugitive from Justice (Wanted on Outstanding Warrant for Violation of Probation out of Bristol, VA) |
| RELEASING OFFICER | ||
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Thomas M. Patton, Public Information Officer
Kingsport Police Department Professional Standards Unit |
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