Tennessee State Trooper Apprehends Georgia Man Connected to Stolen Vehicle

Friday, July 19, 2013 | 12:00pm

NASHVILLE --- Tennessee State Trooper Richard Thomas arrested a Georgia man on felony theft charges on Thursday in Hamilton County.  The Tennessee Highway Patrol’s Criminal Investigations Division (CID) assisted in the case.

On Wednesday evening, Trooper Thomas was conducting routine patrol in the parking lot of the Red Roof Inn on Shallowford Road in Chattanooga, when his license plate reader (LPR) hit on a stolen vehicle out of Rossville, Ga. Trooper Thomas then verified this information with the THP Chattanooga District Communications Center, who confirmed the vehicle, a 2003 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck, was stolen. 

Trooper Thomas, a member of the THP’s East Bureau Interdiction Plus team, and CID Sergeant Thomas Clower secured the vehicle, and upon further investigation, discovered the suspect had active warrants out of Rossville, Ga., and Hamilton County. The investigators were unable to locate the suspect Wednesday night and placed another warrant out for his arrest for theft over $10,000.

After following several leads the next day (Thursday), Sgt. Clower was able to make contact with a friend of the suspects’ and negotiated his surrender. The suspect turned himself in to a Hamilton County Sheriff’s official at a local motel at approximately 6 p.m. (EDT), roughly 23 hours after the initial LPR hit. Trooper Thomas arrived later and transported the suspect to the Hamilton County Jail.

Shannon Edward Whaley, 34, of Rossville, Ga., was charged with felony theft over $10,000.  A booking photo of the suspect can be obtained from the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office.

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security’s (www.TN.Gov/safety) mission is to ensure that our state is a safe, secure place in which to live, work and travel; enforce the law with integrity; and provide customer-focused services professionally and efficiently.  

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