LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF)- An attempted traffic stop by La Follette Police Lt. Shane Tielman went for several blocks before the driver of an SUV cooperated. The officer initially saw the white, Dodge Durango turn onto Jacksboro Pike late Friday night without its headlights on.

As the SUV headed into La Follette, the Lieutenant gave the driver a couple of blocks of travel to turn on the headlights, and he did not. When the lights remained off, Tielman attempted to initiate a traffic stop at 11th Street, near Alco Realty, and the SUV kept on going.

The officer, with emergency lights activated, followed the Dodge watching it allegedly driving all over the road nearly hitting the curb. The SUV turned south onto South 5th Street at McDonalds hitting the curb. Tielman turned on his siren, and the SUV soon pulled over where 5th and Depot Street meet.

Sgt. Dillon Marney and Patrolman Aidyn  Fudala arrived as the SUV stopped, and all the officers gave “exit the vehicle with hands showing” commands. The passenger complied and was detained and told officers that Jesse Lewis was the driver.

Lewis was given more commands to get out of the vehicle, and he slowly came around coming out of the SUV not showing both hands, based on the police report. Lewis showed his left hand, not his right, and reached to get something out of the SUV then putting something in his mouth with his right hand, according to the report.

Officers attempted to get Lewis not to swallow the item in his mouth but to no avail. It appeared that Lewis forced himself to swallow whatever it was.

After a brief struggle, police were able to get handcuffs on Lewis behind his back and off the ground. Medical personnel were called to the scene to check on Lewis, and he refused all medical.

Lewis, 31, of 515 West Beech Street, La Follette was arrested and transported to the county jail. He faces charges of evading arrest, resist-stop-frisk-halt-search, light law violation and violation of lane law. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-09/15/2026-6AM)

Related