Knox man charged with handgun possession while under the influence

On Sunday, Dec 29, at 11:29 a.m, Deputy Ryne Miller with the Loudon County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call for a reckless driver in a silver Dodge Ram traveling southbound on I-75 near the 81 Exit.

According to the report obtained by The News-Herald, Miller located a vehicle matching that description on Route 321 — getting ready to turn onto the entrance ramp to I-75 South.

While behind the driver, the deputy reported observing that the vehicle was unable to maintain lane, crossed the fog line, slammed on his brakes and was unable to successfully navigate the merge lane onto the interstate.

A traffic stop was initiated on the vehicle on I-75 South. While approaching the vehicle, Miller observed that the vehicle began to roll forward and then stopped once commands were given.

The driver, later identified as 45-year-old Christopher Vavao of Knoxville, was slow to comply with commands, taking several seconds to roll down the vehicle’s window.

Once the vehicle’s window was rolled down, Vavao was reportedly observed to have slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, an odor of alcoholic beverage about his person and unable to form intelligible sentences.

Vavao admitted to deputies he had been drinking and smoking “weed.” Vavao was asked to exit the vehicle and, in doing so, was unsteady on his feet, unable to keep his balance and attempted to walk to the front of his vehicle when advised to walk back toward the police cruisers.

The report stated that Vavao was so unsteady on his feet that deputies had to assist him in walking.

Deputies attempted to conduct Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs) but, due to the unsafe nature, they were not performed.

At this time, the suspect was placed under arrest for DUI. An inventory search of his vehicle yielded a loaded Springfield Hellcat .9 mm in the center console.

Vavao was read implied consent but refused to provide a sample of blood.

Vavao was charged with possession of a handgun while under the influence, driving under the influence and was released on $5,000 bond.

FRIENDSVILLE MAN PULLED OVER, PASSENGER CLAIMS ‘MISCARRIAGE’

On Tuesday Dec. 31, at 1:46 a.m., Deputy Daniel Allen with the Loudon County Sheriff’s Office performed a traffic stop at 3651 South Highway 95 in Greenback on a silver Honda Civic.

According to the report, Allen witnessed the suspect travel through the stop sign at the corner of Morganton Road and Highway 95 — and driving at a high rate of speed.

Upon his approach to the passenger-side of the vehicle, Allen found the driver was 22-year-old Jesse Myers of Friendsville. A female passenger was also on the passenger’s seat of the vehicle. The report states that Allen could smell the odor of alcoholic beverages coming from the female’s breath and then noted that Myers had bloodshot glassy eyes.

The driver claimed that he was taking the female passenger to the hospital and stated that she thought she was having a miscarriage.

Allen then asked for an ambulance to respond to his location. Allen then asked Myers to exit the vehicle.

According to the report, Allen could smell the odor of alcoholic beverages coming from Myers’ breath and the smell of burnt marijuana coming from his clothing. Myers then admitted to having one drink. Allen then asked Myers to perform standardized field sobriety testing while the Greenback Fire Department assessed the female.

During the test, Myers admitted that he and his girlfriend had been fighting and he was taking her to a friend’s house.

While Sgt. Pesterfield was speaking with Myers, he admitted to smoking marijuana several hours prior. When asked on a scale of one to ten — ten being the highest he had ever been — how high he was currently, Myers stated he was around “5” on that scale.

Given the totality of the circumstances, Allen was able to determine that Myers was under the influence of an intoxicating substance and was taken into custody at this time.

According to the report, Myers refused to provide a blood sample for testing after being read the implied consent form.

Furthermore, the female passenger admitted that they had been fighting and she was in fact not having a miscarriage, but was having suicidal ideations.

The female agreed to be taken to the hospital by her family. Sgt. Pesterfield remained with her until her father arrived and accepted care for her.

Myers was charged with driving under the influence, traffic control device, violation of implied consent and was released on $1,500 bond.

DECEMBER 30

• George Edward Bailey, 58, Lenoir City, was charged with public intoxication and released on $1000 bond.

• Jeremy Justin Bennett, 32, Lenoir City, was charged with assisting other agencies and released without bond.

• Joseph Aaron Duggan, 47, Lenoir City, was charged with three counts of capias-general sessions and held on $41,000 bond.

• Erica Sky Helton, 20, Loudon, was charged MFG., delivery, sale or possession of meth, possession of drug paraphernalia, simple possession/casual exchange and released on $4000 bond.

• Andrew Emil Kotronias, 30, Lenoir City, was charged with domestic assault, vandalism and released on $9000 bond.

• Christopher Iakopo Vavao, 45, Knoxville, was charged with driving under the influence, possession of a handgun while under the influence and released on $5000 bond.

• Jessika Darlene Wilson, 35, Lenoir City, was charged with attachment (juvenile court), theft of property, violation of probation and held on $4500 bond.

DECEMBER 31

• Nathan Bedford Forest Armstrong, 36, Kingston, was charged with capias-municipal court and released on $1000 bond.

• Amanda Danyell Brown, 37, Knoxville, was charged with capias-general sessions and released on $4000 bond

• Stevie Denise Colon, 38, Lenoir City, was charged with violation of probation and held without bond.

• Carol Huff Embry, 76, Harrison, was charged with violation of probation and released on $15,000 bond.

• Armando Huerta, 38, Lenoir City, was charged with driving under the influence, financial responsibility law, license required, open container and released on $1000 bond.

• April Dawn Lundquist, 51, Lenoir City, was charged with violation of probation and released on $1000 bond.

• Kayla Nichole Miller, 24, Knoxville, was charged with driving under the influence and released on $1500 bond.

• Jesse Barry Myers, 22, Friendsville, was charged with driving under the influence, traffic control device, violation of implied consent and released on $1500 bond.

• Federico Roldan-Bolanos, 28, Knoxville, was charged with driving under the influence and released on $2500 bond.

• Patricia Diane Whitener, 53, Chatsworth, GA, was charged with theft of property-conduct involving merchandise and released on $1000 bond.

JANUARY 1

• Alfred Sean Barnett, 53, Harriman, was charged with driving under the influence, failure to yield right-of-way, open container, possession of a handgun while under the influence and released on $2000 bond.

• Jesus Galicia-Vasquez, 33, Lenoir City, was charged with public intoxication and released on $390 bond.

• Guadelupe Gustro Galicia-Velasquez, 31, Lenoir City, was charged with domestic assault and released on $1500 bond.

• Eric Lewis Gann, 41, Kingston, was charged with driving on a revoked/suspended license, simple possession/ casual exchange, violation of probation and held on $4000 bond.

• Destiny Marie Lewis, 27, Fort Oglethorpe, GA, was charged with driving on roadways laned for traffic, driving under the influence, DUE care, reckless driving, simple possession/ casual exchange, speed limit, violation of implied consent and released on $10,000 bond.

• Terry Allen Shelton, 51, Vonore, was charged with assisting other agencies and released without bond.

JANUARY 2

• Bret Marshall Dolsen, 38, Knoxville, was charged with capias-municipal court and released on $2000 bond.