KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A bond of $1 million has been set for the truck driver accused of killing Loudon County Sheriff's Sgt. Chris Jenkins last Thursday.
Christopher Savannah, 43, of Houston was driving a tractor-trailer when he ignored a rolling roadblock and hit and killed Sgt. Jenkins as he was attempting to remove a ladder that fell out of a vehicle on I-75, the Tennessee Highway Patrol said.
Savannah appeared in the Roane County General Sessions Court on Monday morning for a bond hearing. Savannah admitted to smoking marijuana within four hours of the crash, Detective John Mayes of the Roane County Sheriff's Office testified.
Savannah was disqualified from having a Commercial Driver License in 2020 because of a previous drug test violation, Lieutenant Carey Hixson with THP testified.
Savannah also has multiple speeding violations, according to Lt. Hixson.
Mayes testified a gun and a bag of marijuana were hidden in the truck and Savannah had to describe where to find these items. Mayes also testified Savannah said he woke up between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. and began driving.
However, THP testified that Savannah didn't keep proper logs that could corroborate his claim. "He did not have any record of duty status to indicate his driving or sleeping periods prior to the crash," Hixson said.
Hixon also testified one of the brakes on Savannah's trailer was "inoperable" and another was out of adjustment. The trailer Savannah was hauling had a flat tire, Hixson said.
"So all three components — the driver, the truck and the trailer — were out of service and should not have been on the roadway at the time," he said.
The judge followed the prosecution's request and set Savannah's bail at $1 million. The judge justified the bail amount, in part, by saying Savannah has no proof of employment or history of employment even though he was driving the truck.
When the state originally requested Savannah's bond to be set at $1 million, the defense argued that bond was excessive for a class B felony.
If Savannah makes bail, he will have to wear a GPS device.