Demetrius Bailey
Chattanooga Police said they have taken Demetrius Bailey into custody in a kidnapping and sexual assault case.
His bond was set at $1,251,000.
At approximately 2 a.m. on Sunday, Bailey was apprehended. Chattanooga Police officers (who were searching for the suspect throughout the night) observed the suspect's vehicle and attempted to initiate a traffic stop. The suspect did not stop, which resulted in a lengthy vehicle pursuit. At the conclusion of the pursuit, the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office placed Bailey into custody with the assistance of the Chattanooga Police Department and the East Ridge Police Department.
On Friday at approximately 9 a.m., police responded to a report of a sexual assault.
Upon arrival, police made contact with the victim who advised he had been held at gunpoint on Tuesday of last week and held captive until he escaped Friday morning.
The victim said he left his house on Tuesday around 5 p.m. to go to a plasma center on Riverside Drive. He said he then drove to the Fast Stop at Wilcox and Dodson Avenue. He said as he was leaving he noticed a man struggling with some heavy bags so he offered him a ride.
He said the man, who said his name was Demetrius, asked if they could go to his brother's house to get some bags. He said the brother, named Zach, and a female got in the car with them and they started back toward the Fast Stop.
He said when they stopped at a gas station at 101 Glenwood Ave. that he saw a friend of his wife, who told him she had been trying to reach him and was worried about him. He said at that time he felt a force against his side and realized it was a gun. He said he still tried to make signals to the friend to try to alert her that he was in trouble. He said Demetrius told him to stay calm and do what he was told to do.
He was then told to drive to a house on 12th Street. He described it as having chicken wire around it. It was later identified at 2007 12th Ave. He was put into the basement of the house.
The man said he was forced to smoke an unknown drug from a clear pipe and to ingest multiple pills. He said he saw several others in the house and they all appeared to be drug users. He said there was a woman in a wheelchair with a blanket over her, and she did not appear to move during the 55 hours he was held captive.
He said he was repeatedly raped during the ordeal.
He said he was finally able to escape when Demetrius' attention was drawn by another person. He then called police.
Bailey is also charged with shoplifting at TJ Maxx at Hamilton Place on Dec. 20. Police said he walked out with three Calvin Klein bags worth $239.97. He fled in a black Dodge Challenger. The shoplifter was described as weighing 300 pounds. Police said Bailey is 6'3" and 315 pounds.
Police said Bailey on Saturday stole a Bose home stereo system from Cash America Pawn on E. 23rd Street. He left the store in a gray Chevy Silverado pickup truck. Police said the same day he stole two cases of beer and a tray of lighters from the Shell station on Gunbarrel Road.
Police said Bailey was driving that same pickup at the time of the pursuit. He fled on Highway 153, then eventually drove onto I-24 westbound. East Ridge Police successfully deployed spike strips to stop the vehicle. The pickup exited to Moore Road.
An officer who went up to the vehicle said Bailey grabbed his jacket and kicked him. He said Bailey then struck him several times in the face and chest with a closed fist. It was noticed that Bailey was armed with a knife. The officer said he struck Bailey with his closed fist. Bailey dropped the knife, but continued to try to kick the officer.
Warrants were sworn out by police for aggravated rape, aggravated kidnapping and aggravated assault.
Members of the Special Victim Unit, Special Operations, Fugitive Division as well as Neighborhood Policing Division earlier said they had been working tirelessly to locate and take the suspect into custody.
Police earlier said, "Following leads, Chattanooga Police have conducted citywide searches and a search warrant in attempts to locate this dangerous individual. Chattanooga Police will continue the pursuit of this suspect until he is taken into custody."