Crossville, TN- On Saturday, a city officer was on foot patrol at the courthouse lawn during the Upper Cumberland Pride event when they first noticed a man driving a blue Chevrolet pulling a horse trailer with derogatory banners strung across, pass the scene multiple times while shouting obscenities towards the eventgoers.

According to the police report, the man was identified as 52-year-old Wallace Wattenbarger, stopped his vehicle at the green light on Main Street at the intersection of Fourth Street and shouted obscenities towards the citizens attending the event. Traffic then began to back up in the northbound lane due to him stopping at a green light. A detective nearby conducted a traffic stop where Mr. Wattenbarger stated he was exercising his first amendment and had the right to protest. However, the detective warned Mr. Wattenbarger about impeding traffic and that was the reason he was stopped. Officers who assisted the detective noted that there was a putrid odor coming from the trailer that Mr. Wattenbarger’s truck was pulling.

Approximately thirty minutes later, Mr. Wattenbarger had parked his truck and trailer in front of the courthouse but was unable to fit. Officers approached him to let him know his trailer was blocking the roadway and he was obstructing traffic again. Two officers assisted him with traffic control to move his truck and trailer out of the way.

He continued back and forth on Main Street shouting. About an hour later, witnesses observed Mr. Wattenbarger throw a dead opossum out the driver’s side window. Officers observed the dead carcass along with a deceased squirrel in the northbound lane. When officers conducted a traffic stop again on Mr. Wattenbarger, he claimed he did not throw the dead animals out of his window but knew who did. Officers stated they no longer smelled the odor coming from the trailer. Wallace Wattenbarger was arrested for disrupting a meeting/procession by throwing a dead carcass at citizens gathered for the Upper Cumberland Pride event.

A 16-year-old juvenile was also with Mr. Wattenbarger off and on during the events. He was left in custody with his father.