Hunter Hanks
A man charged with stealing a public works truck and destroying a facility gate is being charged with burglary and vandalism.
Chattanooga Police responded to an in-progress vehicle theft near the city of Chattanooga Public Works Department. In the early hours of the morning, an off-duty officer said he saw a Public Works truck barge into and through the security gate and drive toward E. 11th Street.
The off-duty officer said he followed the vehicle at a distance in his personal vehicle to “keep eyes on it.” According to court documents, another off-duty officer located the truck at the intersection of McCallie and Central and continued to follow it to E 3rd Street.
An on-duty officer initiated a traffic stop and took driver Hunter Hanks, 23, into custody.
Police confirmed with that the vehicle was stolen after speaking with a representative of Public Works.
Police said Hanks told them he did not steal the vehicle, but that he was “dropping off” another person from probation, and that “when we get down there, can you re-route the plumbing for the mailboxes? My next paycheck is supposed to do that.”
Police surmised from these statements that Hanks was intoxicated, and they said that they discovered his driver’s license had been suspended. Police said Public Works told them there had been “substantial damage” to the facility’s security gate. Hanks was taken to the county jail at Silverdale.
Hanks was charged with burglary, vandalism, theft of a motor vehicle, DUI, and driving while suspended.