The incident happened in Loudon County last week.

“He’s in the booking room in a holding cell by himself,” Roane County Sheriff Jack Stockton said. “We go check on him every 15 minutes.”

Loudon County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Sgt. Chris Jenkins was removing a ladder that had fallen onto Interstate 75 near mile marker 74 when he was allegedly struck by a semi-truck driven by Savannah around 8 a.m. on Feb. 3. Jenkins died from his injuries.

In situations like this, Stockton said it’s common for the accused to be jailed in a different county from where the alleged crimes occurred.

“That way the deputies over there don’t have to see him,” Stockton said. “The correctional officers over there don’t have to see him. They don’t have to think about him being in their jail. It’s good for the inmate and it’s good for the deputies and correctional officers also.”

Savannah, 43, could be in the Roane County Jail for a while. His bond is set at $1 million.

The general sessions court judges in Loudon County recused themselves from the case. Roane County General Sessions Court Judge Terry Stevens presided over Savannah’s bond hearing at the Roane County Courthouse Monday morning.

“The defendant shall be held on a $1 million bond,” Stevens ruled.

Savannah, who is from Texas, is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing at the Roane County Courthouse later this month.

“It’s still a Loudon County case,” District Attorney General Russell Johnson said.