THP Assists Sweetwater Police Department in Capture
Friday, January 28, 2011 | 07:43am
NASHVILLE --- Tennessee Highway Patrol Sgt. Lowell Russell’s actions resulted in the arrest of a man suspected of domestic assault and false imprisonment in Loudon County during the early morning hours of Friday, January 28, 2010. The Sweetwater Police Department is the lead agency in the case.
Monroe County 911 issued a “be on the lookout” for a gold 1996 Toyota Camry after receiving a distress call from a female who indicated she was assaulted and placed in the trunk of the vehicle. Monroe County advised that the vehicle could be headed in the direction of Oakland Road towards Interstate 75. Sgt. Russell positioned his patrol unit on I-75 northbound at mile marker 76, where he observed the vehicle traveling north at approximately 12:30 a.m. EST.
At approximately 12:40 a.m., Sgt. Russell, with the assistance of three additional THP units, made a felony traffic stop on Interstate 40 eastbound at the Watt Road exit without incident. The driver, Mark Dunlap, 37, of Seymour, Tenn., and three passengers, including the victim, Angela Johnson, 39, were detained and placed in separate patrol units. The preliminary investigation indicates Dunlap allegedly assaulted Johnson in Sweetwater, Tenn., forced her into the trunk – where she called 911 - and later allowed her back into the front passenger seat.
The Sweetwater Police Department took all individuals into custody to complete the investigation. Johnson and the two passengers are also from Seymour, Tenn.
The Tennessee Department of Safety’s (www.TN.Gov/safety) mission is to ensure the safety and general welfare of the public. The department encompasses the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Office of Homeland Security and Driver License Services. General areas of responsibility include law enforcement, safety education, motorist services and terrorism prevention.