ACCORDING TO A CROSSVILLE POLICE REPORT, on January 17, 2026, at Cumberland Medical Center in Crossville, Kristy Leigh Jaynes caused a chain of events starting with vandalism inside the hospital. After being discharged and escorted out for refusing to leave, she re-entered the building, pulled two fire alarm pull stations (breaking the handle on one, cutting herself and leaving blood smears on walls, and knocking a picture frame off the wall), which triggered an evacuation and response from Crossville Fire Department. The estimated damage from the vandalism was approximately $500, and hospital administration indicated intent to prosecute.

Shortly afterward, around 7:16 P.M., Jaynes approached a vehicle parked directly in front of the ER doors. A juvenile inside the vehicle, believing Jaynes (who appeared to be wearing scrubs) was a hospital employee attempting to move the car, unlocked the door. Jaynes entered the vehicle and drove away with the juvenile still in the front passenger seat. She circled through hospital parking areas before the juvenile, frightened, jumped out of the moving vehicle in the main entrance parking lot, getting dragged briefly (approximately four feet) before breaking free and running to safety.

As Jaynes drove back onto Cleveland Street, the vehicle’s owner ran into the roadway waving arms in an attempt to stop her. She did not stop and struck him with the vehicle on his right side (knocking an item from his hand, impacting his hand, leg, and running over his foot), though he avoided more serious injury by moving aside. Jaynes then fled the area, heading north on Main Street.

Crossville Police and Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office located the stolen vehicle traveling south on Main Street at high speed around 8:00 p.m., leading to a pursuit. The chase proceeded erratically through several streets. Officers successfully deployed a spike strip, deflating the front driver’s side tire, and eventually boxed in the vehicle on Lantana Road near Locust Grove Drive, forcing it to stop. Jaynes initially resisted commands to exit and surrender with passive noncompliance. Officers breached the driver’s window to gain access, after which she unlocked the door. She was taken to the ground with minimal force, handcuffed, and arrested without requiring additional force. Jaynes reported no injuries from the arrest.

The vehicle sustained only minor damage (a flat tire from the spike strip and a shattered driver’s window), which officers assisted in addressing before returning it to the owner. Both the vehicle owner and the juvenile sustained possible minor injuries from the incident. Jaynes was identified through hospital security footage and records. In a post-arrest interview, she claimed limited memory of the events but admitted pulling the fire alarm because the idea “came into her head,” offered no clear explanation for knocking the picture frame down or taking the vehicle, and stated she did not know why she committed the acts.

Jaynes was charged by Crossville Police with motor vehicle theft (vehicle valued at $42,000), two counts of reckless endangerment (for actions endangering the vehicle owner and the juvenile), and vandalism.

Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office added a charge of evading arrest.