COOKEVILLE MAN FACES COURT DEADLINE OVER ALLEGED ARMED KIDNAPPING ATTEMPT IN TANSI
A 79-year-old Cookeville man is scheduled to appear in the Cumberland County Circuit Criminal Court for a deadline hearing on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, stemming from a dramatic 2024 kidnapping attempt in Lake Tansi.
Douglas Willard McCallister faces serious felony charges, including aggravated assault and attempted especially aggravated kidnapping, following the October 5, 2024 incident on Ackia Drive.
Case Details & Background
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Defendant: Douglas Willard McCallister, 79, of Cookeville (represented by attorney Michael Giaimo).
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Charges: Aggravated Assault and Attempted Especially Aggravated Kidnapping.
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Bond: $60,000 surety bond through Big Jim’s Bonding Company.
According to a report from the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, the victim—McCallister’s estranged wife—was returning to a Tansi residence when she realized a white van had followed her from Dunbar Road.
As the victim exited her vehicle, McCallister allegedly confronted her at gunpoint, threatening, “You’re going with me,” and later stating, “I’ll kill you here,” when she refused.
Quick-Thinking Neighbors Intervene
Quick-thinking neighbors thwarted the attack before law enforcement arrived:
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A neighbor across the street shouted for McCallister to stop and instructed a family member to call 911 upon seeing the firearm.
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Another witness physically wrestled McCallister to the ground and detained him after McCallister temporarily laid the weapon on the back seat of the vehicle.
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Tansi police and sheriff’s deputies arrived shortly after to take him into custody.
The upcoming court session on October 6 marks the next procedural step in the ongoing criminal proceedings against McCallister.
