Ronnie Lucas Wilson, the man accused of shooting a Knoxville police officer in January, will have his case bound over to a grand jury to consider an indictment for attempted first degree murder.
The 31-year-old suspect was in court Tuesday for a preliminary hearing. He's suspected of attempted first degree murder in the shooting and is being held on a $750,000 bond.
A judge also denied Wilson to have his bond lowered and dropped drug charges that he was facing down to simple possession.
Wilson's attempted first degree charge will now be considered by a grand jury. If indicted, Wilson will head to trial in the shooting of veteran Knoxville Police officer Jay Williams that sparked a statewide manhunt.
It all began on the night of Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2018.
According to KPD, Officer Williams had pulled over Wilson outside the Target on Washington Pike in Knoxville around 8:30 p.m. for speeding, when police said Wilson pulled out a shotgun and "fired continuously" at Williams. Williams did not return fire and was hit in the shoulder, and soon after was on the radio calling for backup.
"The officer got on the radio and gave the code that we have for an officer that has been shot and as soon as that goes out, everybody in the area responds. It was a large response," Knoxville Police Chief David Rausch said in January.
The incident saw the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation getting involved, which added Wilson to its Top 10 Most Wanted list with a $2,500 reward for his capture.
At the time of the manhunt, Rausch said Wilson was listed as a member of the Aryan Nations gang and that there was already an outstanding warrant for his arrest for a violation of probation and aggravated assault.
Wilson was captured two days later in Blount County.
The Blount County Sheriff's Office said officers found Wilson and another woman that was with him at an abandoned home on Calderwood Highway. A fire was started at the home and Wilson had to be treated for internal lung burns he received before jumping out of one of the building's windows.
Officer Jay Williams has been serving his community for more than 14 years after joining the Knoxville police force in Nov. 2003.
During his time as a KPD officer, Williams has been noted for his compassion and service as a community hero.