Christian Hayden Pickett
Police arrested two men charged with beating up and robbing a man during a drug deal on Signal Mountain.
On Monday night, police responded to a robbery report on Taft highway. Police said the victim told them he came to the area to buy a small amount of marijuana, and then was attacked by four individuals after he gave them money.
The victim said he texted “Hayden Party” in order to buy marijuana from him, and that the two met at the location. The victim told police that once money changed hands, he was punched in the back of the head, and then kicked by multiple people. He said he saw two white males in a vehicle, and that the attackers got into the car and drove off.
The victim took a picture of the license plate, which came back to a juvenile. Police said the victim had a lump on the back of his head, and scrapes to his arms and back. He was allowed to leave the scene by police.
Police located the vehicle on Edgewood Drive, and then walked up to the property and knocked on the door. Police said a man walked up to the door, but then started walking back into the house. Police said they found Christian Hayden Pickett, 19, on the back porch trying to leave.
Police said Pickett had 62 grams of marijuana in his hand, along with 45 hydrocodone pills. Police said they read Pickett his Miranda rights, and he told them that he, one other person and two juveniles met with the victim. He said they planned to beat the victim up.
Picket said that once the victim handed over $60 for the marijuana, that is when the attack started. He denied hitting the victim himself.
Police said they obtained permission to search the residence. Police said they found five other males and one female, some of those being juveniles, inside.
One of those persons, Evan Stoops, 19, told police he and Pickett had planned the encounter and that he did not know who the victim was. He said he did not take the money from the victim, and did not know what happened to it.
Stoops is facing criminal conspiracy and robbery charges, while Pickett is facing those charges as well as drug-related counts.
Evan M. Stoops