REPORT: Knoxville resident wrecks car into Muslim gravesite

STAFF REPORTS

On June 6, Loudon County Deputy Dalton Harrison responded to the scene of an abandoned vehicle that crashed on top of a burial site at Lakeview Cemetery.

The vehicle was a blue Honda that was registered to Obaidullah Wahab, reportedly an Afghan refugee who has a history of causing issues within the area’s Muslim community. … He had a restraining order to his name from Knox County.

Another incident surrounding Wahab reportedly had occurred about a month before at Lakeview Cemetery. Owners of the cemetery were digging another burial site when the Afghan refugee showed up and laid in the grave saying, “Is this my grave?”

Deputy Harrison contacted Knoxville’s Muslim community administrator, Sarah Elkassabani, to gather further details about Wahab. She stated that Wahab was picked up by friends at Lakeview Cemetery earlier in the day.

The refugee said he had been in a car crash, but provided no further information.

Deputy Harrison then went to the address that was on the vehicle’s registration and on mail found in the vehicle as well. The place wasn’t occupied by anyone.

The deputy concluded that the vehicle was intentionally wrecked and abandoned due to his investigation — and the proximity between the gravesite and the road.

A warrant was issued for Wahab’s arrest and he was booked into the Loudon County Sheriff ’s Office on June 26.

The suspect was charged with leaving the scene of an accident and injuring cemetery property while interfering with a religious exercise.

JUNE 23

Carlos Pimentel, 29, Knoxville, was charged with aggravated assault and released on $50,000 bond.

JUNE 24

Randy Phillip Brewster II, 30, Lenoir City, was charged with due care, duty to render aid and give information, leaving the scene of an accident, death or injury, and traffic control signals. He was held without bond.

Richard Mingo Calantoni, 51, Saint Petersburg, FL, was charged with theft of property and held on $75,000 bond.

Ramon Aguliera Constantino, 31, Lenoir City, was charged with domestic assault and held on $1,500 bond.

Hector Diaz-Carbajal, 25, Knoxville, was charged with driving on suspended license and released on $2,000 bond.

Jason Michael Irvin, 47, Lenoir City, was charged with driving on a revoked license, open container, and released on $1,500 bond.

Travis Benjiman McDaniel, 48, Lenoir City, was charged with violating probation and released on $5,000 bond.

JUNE 25

Taniya Roberta Davis, 24, Knoxville, was charged with driving on a revoked/ suspended license, simple possession/casual exchange, and was released on $4,000 bond.

Gary Dewayne Fisher, 60, Maryville, was charged with capias-criminal court and held without bond.

Francisco Ova Mateo-Francisco, 33, Knoxville, was charged with leaving the scene of an accident and held without bond.

Stephen Douglas Pershing, 77, Vonore, was charged with violating order of protection/ restraint and released on $5,000 bond.

Rodrigo Jimenez Santos, 37, Knoxville, was charged with domestic assault and held on $1,500 bond.

Michael Smallen Gage, 21, Lenoir City, was charged with violating probation and held on $10,000

bond.

JUNE 26

Gunner Dwaine Callis, 18, Loudon, was charged with driving under the influence and released on $3,000 bond.

Charmaine Denise Hodge, 36, Alcoa, was charged with driving under the influence, violation of implied consent, and was released on $3,000 bond.

Jeremy Marcel Kilpatrick, 33, Talbott, was charged with criminal impersonation, driving on a revoked/suspended license, simple possession/ casual exchange, and held on $6,000 bond.

Obaidullah Wahab, 23, Knoxville, was charged with leaving the scene of an accident, trespassing on or injury to cemetery property, and was held on $9,500 bond.

JUNE 27

Tammie Renee Aaron, 47, Madisonville, was charged with failing to appear in municipal court and held on $5,000 bond.

Gage Mykale Dean, 26, Knoxville, was charged with driving on a revoked/ suspended license and released on $2,000 bond.

Thomas Austin Wayne Finger, 29, Louisville, was charged with capias-municipal court and released on $10,000 bond.

Miranda Nicole Gussler, 29, Knoxville, was charged with capias-general sessions and released on $3,000 bond.

Matthew Francis Keahon, 38, Caryville, was charged with leaving the scene of accident property damage, open container and released on $3000 bond.

Christina Elizabeth Stone, 51, Knoxville, was charged with capias-municipal court and released on $1000 bond.

Donnita Rena Ward, 50, Lenoir City, possession of drug paraphernalia, two counts of simple possession/ casual exchange and released on $3000 bond Daniel Christopher Woods, 31, Lenoir City, was charged with failure to appear-municipal court and released on $10,000 bond.

JUNE 28

Tanner Colten Burchfield, 26, Loudon, was charged with boating under the influence, violating implied consent, three counts of violating boating safety laws, and released on $2,000 bond.

Ronald Cornell Cochran, 60, Loudon, was arrested on two counts of driving under the influence, driving an unregistered vehicle, financial responsibility law, two counts of simple possession/ exchange, use of a safety belt in a passenger vehicle, and held on $6,000 bond.

Iduardo Contreas-Rayo, 36, Knoxville, was charged with driving on a revoked/ suspended license and held on $1,000 bond.

Malaisha Marea Gibson, 20, Detroit, MI, was charged with slow poke law, driving under the influence, evading arrest, violation of implied consent and held without bond.

Ellis Edward Hill, 57, Loudon, was charged with driving on a revoked/suspended license, financial responsibility law, misuse of evidence of registration,

prohibited weapons, signing registration-carried in vehicle and released on $2000 bond.

Dylan Tyler Suttles, 20, Tellico Plains, was charged with driving on revoked/ suspended license, failing to surrender auto license or registration, speed limit and held on $2000 bond.

JUNE 29

Samuel Douglas Branum Sr., 31, Philadelphia, was charged with driving on a revoked/suspended license, displaying registration plates and released on $1,000 bond.

Edward Author Houser III, 46, homeless, was charged with manufacture, sell, delivery, resale of a schedule II drug, possession of drug paraphernalia and held on $6000 bond.

Derrick Jermaine Johnson, 51, Lenoir City, was charged with driving on a revoked/suspended license and released on $1000 bond.

Lanekia Chantel Joiner, 39, Knoxville, was charged with prevention or obstruction of service and held without bond.

Luis Gabriel Velasquez- Palma, 33, Lenoir City, was charged license required, open container and held without bond.