Tennessee: Charges filed against man whose vehicle reportedly brushed officer at wreck

A Church Hill man was arrested Monday on reckless endangerment charges stemming from a Dec. 21 incident in which he allegedly nearly struck a police officer and fire chief in Mount Carmel who were directing traffic at a crash scene.

Mount Carmel Police Department Officer David Dean stated in his report that around 1 p.m. on Dec. 21 he was conducting traffic control at an accident scene that was blocking Independence Avenue near the Tranbarger Drive intersection.

That two-vehicle wreck involved a UPS truck, and the road was blocked for several hours until a wrecker capable of hauling the truck became available.

At the same time, Mount Carmel Fire Chief Ryan Christian had parked a fire truck at that intersection, and traffic was being diverted onto Tranbarger Drive or back northbound on Independence.

Dean stated in his report that he observed a silver Chevy Colorado pickup was traveling northbound on Independence Avenue approaching the intersection where he and Christian were standing.

“The driver of the truck accelerated toward Chief Christian and me while we were directing the driver to turn onto Tranbarger Drive,” Dean said. “The driver failed to obey my commands to turn right onto Tranbarger Drive. Instead, the driver of the vehicle turned left through the intersection on the wrong side of the road.”

Dean added, “The right side part of the truck’s headlight cover made contact with my right hand. The passenger side fender came into contact with my right forearm.”

Dean said he hit the hood of the pickup with his left hand and continued giving the driver commands to stop, but the driver continued on until he arrived at the accident scene.

The driver was identified as Ryan Neal Waye, 30, 242 W. Ellis Lane, Church Hill.

On Monday afternoon, Waye was served with an MCPD warrant at his home charging him with reckless driving and two counts of reckless endangerment.

Waye was released on a $10,000 bond and arraigned Wednesday in Hawkins County Sessions Court.