Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Cocke County grand jury
A Cocke County Grand Jury meeting Monday considered 66 cases, returned 63 indictments and returned "no true" bills in the other three cases. Among those indicted are two men who led officers on separate pursuits earlier this year. In January, deputies attempted to stop Christopher Don Caulder, 44, Dunn Cemetary Road, Newport, who had been the object of a pursuit a day earlier involving Cocke and Jefferson County officers, with the pursuit reaching speeds of 106 miles per hour. An attempt was made to stop Caulder on I-40 but he exited at the 432 exit. He drove throughout the Carson Springs community before running over spike strips. But Caulder continued on the flat tires, struck a road sign spinning it around before officers forced the vehicle off the roadway. Caulder is indicted on charges of evading arrest by motor vehicle, reckless endangerment, numerous counts of running a stop sign, failure to yield, failure to exercise due care, failure to maintain his lane, reckless driving, driving on a revoked license, operating an unregistered vehicle, and leaving the scene of an accident. In March, a pursuit resulted in the arrest of Clifford Fine, 26, Lower English Creek Road, Newport. Officers saw Fine driving erratically on North Highway 321 and pursued him onto Rock Hill Road, Old Ashville Highway and East Highway 25/70, as the auto passed other vehicles on the wrong side of the road and at speeds up to 90 miles per hour. Eventually, as the auto prepared to enter I-40, Fine was forced off the roadway. Although he attempted to flee on foot, Fine was captured nearby. Fine faces charges of evading arrest by motor vehicle, resisting arrest, reckless driving, reckless endangerment with a vehicle, possession of a prohibited weapon, reckless endangerment with a dangerous weapon, speeding, no insurance, driving on a revoked license and other traffic violations. In unrelated cases, Fine is charged with identity theft, fraudulent use of a credit card, theft over $1,000, and driving on a revoked license.


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