Andre Blocker
A federal jury found guilty a Chattanooga man who was alleged to have pulled a gun during a traffic stop.
Andre Blocker Jr., 22, was on trial on a charge of being a felon in possession of a weapon.
Sentencing is set for Oct. 26 at 10 a.m. before Judge Charles Atchley.
Blocker faces up to 10 years imprisonment.
Prosecutor Kevin Brown said Blocker pulled a black handgun from the center console of a silver Ford Fusion in the incident on Feb. 9, 2022. He said Blocker had been stopped for driving recklessly, and he said he sped off after pulling the gun. He said Blocker collided with another vehicle on Chamberlain Avenue, then was caught after running to a wooded area.
Defense attorney Sam Robinson said Blocker was on his cellphone talking to a female during the incident. He said the Fusion belonged to someone else and Blocker did not know that a gun was inside.
The attorney told the jury that Blocker's fingerprints were not found on the gun. He said the officer at the scene did not have body cam or dash cam.
Lt. James Fields, who is over SROs at the Sheriff's Office, said he was on the way to the county health clinic when he said the Fusion went around two cars stopped at a light and then ran the red light.
He said he pursued the vehicle and stopped it about a quarter mile away. He said Blocker was on the phone to a female, who was urging him to get the car back because it belonged to her mother who was in the hospital.
The officer said Blocker at first gave him a false name and date of birth. He said it was when he went back to the car to ask about the correct name that he said Blocker reached in the console and came up with a black handgun. The officer said he then backed away from the vehicle, which took off.
He said there was no doubt in his mind that Blocker was holding a gun.
A Taurus handgun was found in the floor of the passenger seat.
Lt. Fields said there was no body cam or dashboard cam because those are not issued to supervisors who rarely make traffic stops.