John Wesley Bennett
A man sought in the traffic deaths of four people in a wreck in Meigs County on Friday afternoon has been captured in Bradley County.
Authorities had been looking for John Wesley Bennett, 34, since he fled the scene on foot.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol said at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, the Decatur, Tn., man caused the deaths of four innocent people. According to the preliminary report by the THP, 38-year-old Andrew Blackford from Murfreesboro, 37-year-old Samantha Norris from Maynardville, 36-year-old Christopher Denton and 62-year-old Paula Stevens from Dunlap, were all killed in that three-vehicle crash.
The THP said Mr. Blackford was driving a Nissan Maxima and Mr. Denton a Pathfinder.
The report says, both vehicles were traveling northbound on Highway 58. Bennett was traveling southbound when a trailer connected to his vehicle detached traveling into the northbound lanes striking both vehicles. The Maxima came to rest in the middle of the highway. The Pathfinder was overturned and came to rest on the right shoulder.
The report says Bennett was believed to be under the influence at the time of the crash.
The THP secured multiple felony warrants with the Meigs County District Attorney’s Office for Bennett’s arrest.
Bennett abandoned his vehicle near the scene of the incident.