Death by Cop 2026
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Joshua Allen Waddell
Age : 18
Gender : Male
Race : White
Date : 05/11/2026
Location : Interstate 40 near Exit 435
City : Newport
County : Cocke
State : Tennessee
Agency : Cocke County Sheriff's Office
Officer(s) :Not disclosed
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Passenger killed by police chase crash
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On 05/11/2026, Cocke County Sheriff's Office deputies attempted to stop a vehicle after receiving reports that its occupants had stolen merchandise from a Buc-ee's convenience store in Sevier County. The driver did not stop and continued driving, leading deputies on a pursuit onto Interstate 40. During the pursuit, the fleeing vehicle left the roadway near Exit 435 and crashed. Eighteen-year-old passenger Joshua Allen Waddell was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver, identified as Waddell's girlfriend, sustained injuries and was transported to a hospital. Authorities charged the driver with multiple offenses, including vehicular homicide by recklessness, felony evading arrest, theft, and reckless endangerment. The Tennessee Highway Patrol investigated the fatal crash. Family members of both Waddell and the driver later spoke publicly about the lasting impact of the incident.