MARYVILLE, TENNESSEE – Blount County Sheriff James Lee Berrong said deputies arrested a carjacking suspect and recovered a stolen vehicle Tuesday after the man fled from law enforcement.

Christopher James McClanahan, 31, of Lenoir City, is charged with evading arrest and reckless endangerment. McClanahan is in custody in the Blount County Correctional Facility on bonds totaling $10,000. In addition, charges are pending on McClanahan in Loudon County.

  At approximately 4 p.m. Tuesday, a Blount County deputy was patrolling the area of U.S. Highway 321 West when he spotted a white Ford F-150 traveling east that was reported as carjacked in Lenoir City, and another deputy identified the driver as Christopher McClanahan. Deputies activated their emergency equipment and attempted to stop McClanahan, who was reported to be homicidal and suicidal, but he would not stop and he accelerated his vehicle to evade arrest. McClanahan conducted a U-turn and traveled west on U.S. Highway 321 West as he continued to accelerate to outrun deputies. At one point, McClanahan forced a vehicle from its lane of travel into the emergency lane and he continued at high speeds toward Lenoir City. McClanahan avoided spike strips that law enforcement placed in the roadway in Loudon County and continued into Lenoir City and then onto Highway 11 toward Knoxville. He led deputies into Knox County where he struck two vehicles at the intersection of Kingston Pike and Smith Road. Blount County deputies, who were joined by Loudon County and Knox County deputies, took McClanahan into custody. Medical personnel arrived on the scene and rendered aid to the drivers of the vehicles that McClanahan struck as well as to McClanahan. The driver of one of the vehicles refused treatment, and the other driver was taken to an area hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. McClanahan was also taken to the hospital for treatment before deputies arrested him late Tuesday evening and transported him to the Blount County Correctional Facility.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol investigated the accident.

McClanahan will face his charges in Blount County General Sessions at 9 a.m. November 18, 2022.