Cocke County Man Arrested After Pursuit By JSCO

A Cocke County man is in jail in Jefferson County after a pursuit that happened Friday in both Jefferson & Cocke Counties. Friday night, Jefferson County deputies spotted a silver Suburu Forester around US25E and Nina Road that had been reported as stolen out of Knoxville. Deputies attempted to stop that vehicle on Leadvale Road and the driver fled toward Hamblen County. The pursuit went into Hamblen County on Leepers Ferry Road through a field, back into Jefferson County on Leadvale Road. After driving down multiple roads, then through yards, and fields, the suspect got back onto Highway 25E and headed towards Cocke County. The pursuit then got onto Rankin Hill Road, but wound up getting back to Highway 25E where the suspect drove into the lake bottoms, and eventually crashed and fled on foot into the woods.

That suspect was Joshua Pittenturf, who has several warrants against him in Cocke County. Pittenturf forcefully resisted arrest but was taken into custody. He is now in the Jefferson County Detention Center in Dandridge. Pittenturf is being charged with Evading Arrest by Motor Vehicle, Aggravated Assault, Reckless Driving, Resisting Arrest, Driving Suspended and Theft of a Motor Vehicle.