A Maryville man has been charged with DUI, felony evading arrest and possession of a handgun while under the influence after recklessly driving through the scene of a crash and nearly striking a Knoxville Police Department officer this past weekend.
At around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 19, 2022, KPD officers were responding to a crash on I-40 East near Papermill Drive. As officers were attempting to slow down traffic, a black Dodge Challenger drove around an officer towards the scene of the crash and took off at a high rate of speed. An officer followed in an effort to conduct a traffic stop on the Challenger, which continued off the Papermill Drive exit and nearly collided with another KPD officer who was standing near the off-ramp.
Officers attempted to initiate a stop as the car exited onto Papermill Drive, but the car continued to flee at speeds in excess of 90 miles per hour and officers canceled the pursuit due to the recklessness nature of the suspect’s driving. Shortly after, the car crashed into a light pole at the intersection of Papermill Drive and Kingston Pike.
The driver was identified as 21-year-old Adonis Salter. There were two additional passengers in the car, an adult man and adult woman. All three occupants were transported to the UT Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.
Officers located a handgun under the driver’s seat as well as an open beer bottle in the car.
Warrants were placed on file for Salter charging him with DUI, felony evading arrest and possession of a handgun while under the influence. Salter was also charged with leaving the scene of an accident, as he collided with a Hyundai sedan on I-40 East just before driving through the crash scene and fleeing from officers. None of the five occupants of the Hyundai reported any injuries.