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Kingsport Police Department
200 Shelby Street • Kingsport, TN 37660 ThomasMPatton@KingsportTN.gov • 423-229-9433 (Desk) • 423-224-2786 (FAX) |
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| NEWS RELEASE | |||
| SUBJECT: | Kingsport Police Arrest Suspect on Litany of Charges in Violent Domestic Violence Incident | ||
| DATE: | March 13, 2014 | ||
| GENERAL NARRATIVE |
| On March 12, 2014 at approximately 4:45 PM, Kingsport Police Patrol Officers responded to Longhorn Steakhouse, located at 1750 East Stone Drive in Kingsport, in reference to a domestic violence incident. Upon their arrival, they encountered a Longhorn employee who had a suspect, later identified as Harley David Byington, restrained on a bench in front of the restaurant. As soon as the employee saw the police arrive, he released his grasp on the suspect, and Mr. Byington fled the scene on foot, running across East Stone Drive toward East Stone Commons Shopping Plaza. Officers initially gave chase; however, they soon lost sight of Mr. Byington. Numerous K.P.D. Patrol Officers foraged the area for Mr. Byington to no avail.
Their subsequent investigation revealed the following: Earlier in the day, Mr. Byington and his ex-wife had been in court in Bristol, TN in reference to a prior incident of domestic violence. After leaving court, Mr. Byington appeared at his ex-wife’s residence and asked her to drive him to Rogersville, TN to which she agreed, in hopes that he would then leave her alone. During the drive down Highway 11W an argument ensued at which point Mr. Byington threatened to harm his ex-wife and her child. She instructed Mr. Byington to stop the vehicle, and she exited the car, entered Longhorn Steakhouse, and went into the ladies restroom. Mr. Byington pursued her into the restroom and struck her in the face with his hands and lunged at her with a utility knife. He locked arms with her and forcibly escorted her from the restroom. Once outside the restroom, she broke free and ran behind the bar. Again, Mr. Byington pursued her and began striking her with liquor bottles. Mr. Byington was overheard shouting, “Before this day is done, you and that baby will be dead, and they will have to kill me to take me down.” Eventually employees and patrons of the restaurant intervened and restrained Mr. Byington to stop the assault. Mr. Byington’s ex-wife received various bruises and abrasions in the attack, but fortunately avoided more serious injury. For the next few hours, officers continued to search the area and surveil the vehicle in which Mr. Byington had been traveling. At approximately 9:00 PM, he returned to the vehicle and began to drive out of the parking lot. An officer approached the vehicle in an attempt to stop him, but upon spotting the officer, Mr. Byington accelerated the vehicle onto Indian Court. With Mr. Byington at the wheel, the vehicle ran the red light onto East Stone Drive, jumped a concrete median flattening the front tires, traveled westbound in the eastbound lanes head-on into oncoming traffic, and eventually turned into the parking lot of Buffalo Wild Wings, located at 1721 East Stone Drive. Mr. Byington accelerated the car to the rear of the parking lot and crashed head-on into a tree on the Green Belt adjacent to the parking lot, where he was ultimately arrested. Mr. Byington suffered significant but non-life threatening injuries in the crash and was transported to Holston Valley Medical Center by Sullivan County E.M.S. for treatment. While at the hospital, a baggie was discovered concealed in Mr. Byington’s rectum. The baggie was found to contain marijuana and 18 orange pills, identified as the anti-depressant medication, Amitriptyline. After receiving treatment and being cleared by a physician, Mr. Byington was transported to the Kingsport City Jail where he was booked on a litany of charges. His charges stemming from the initial incident include: 1) Aggravated Domestic Assault 2) Evading Arrest His additional charges incurred at the time of his arrest include: 1) Felony Evading Arrest 2) Driving on a Revoked License as a Habitual Traffic Offender 3) Possession of a Schedule IV Drug (Amitriptyline) 4) Possession of a Schedule VI Drug (Marijuana) 5) Failure to Obey a Traffic Control Device 6) Driving Left of Center 7) Failure to Comply with Financial Responsibility Law (No Insurance) 8) Violation of Registration 9) Violation of Seatbelt Law |
| SUSPECT INFORMATION | |
| Name | Harley David Byington |
| Age | DOB 3/9/1971
43 Years of Age |
| Race/Gender | White/Male |
| Residency | 330 Godsey Road, Lot #21
Bristol, TN |
| Charge(s) | Charges Stemming from Initial Incident:
1) Aggravated Domestic Assault 2) Evading Arrest Additional Charges Incurred at Time of Arrest: 1) Felony Evading Arrest 2) Driving on a Revoked License as a Habitual Traffic Offender 3) Possession of a Schedule IV Drug (Amitriptyline) 4) Possession of a Schedule VI Drug (Marijuana) 5) Failure to Obey a Traffic Control Device 6) Driving Left of Center 7) Failure to Comply with Financial Responsibility Law (No Insurance) 8) Violation of Registration 9) Violation of Seatbelt Law |
| RELEASING OFFICER | ||
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Thomas M. Patton, Public Information Officer
Kingsport Police Department Professional Standards Unit |
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