A high-speed pursuit early Monday morning came to a dramatic halt when a fleeing driver plunged his vehicle directly into the Tennessee River.

The incident began just after midnight when Loudon County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Jesse Garren spotted a black Dodge Charger traveling northbound on I-75 at a high rate of speed with its headlights off. When the deputy attempted a traffic stop, the driver refused to yield, triggering a pursuit that wound through Pond Creek Road and Highway 11 into the City of Loudon.

Officers temporarily lost sight of the vehicle near Loudon High School and called off the chase. Moments later, a witness reported seeing a car speed off the Ferry Street boat ramp and into the river.

Loudon Police officers quickly located and detained the driver, identified as Fernando Jose Pascula-Tomas, until deputies arrived. Pascula-Tomas escaped the incident uninjured.

The submerged vehicle was successfully located and recovered from the water with the coordinated efforts of the Loudon Fire Department, Loudon County Emergency Management, the Loudon County Dive Team, and James Towing.

Pascula-Tomas now faces charges of Felony Evading Arrest and Driving on a Revoked/Suspended License, alongside multiple traffic citations. Local authorities expressed gratitude to the various emergency and law enforcement agencies that assisted in the response and recovery operation.