Death by Cop 2021-2025
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David Isaiah Aytes
Age : 16
Gender : Male
Race : White
Date : 04/05/2022
Location : U.S. Highway 127 South near Cumberland Mountain State Park entrance
City : Crossville
County : Cumberland
State : Tennessee
Agency : Tennessee Highway Patrol
Officer(s) :Not Disclosed
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Driver killed by police chase crash
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
REASON FOR CHASE: Not publicly disclosed in the verified sources located. A Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper was pursuing Aytes at high speed on U.S. Highway 127 South immediately before the fatal crash, but the available THP crash information and subsequent public reporting do not state why the trooper initially attempted to stop him.
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NARRATIVE:
On 04/05/2022, 16-year-old David Isaiah Aytes of Crossville was killed when the 2016 Toyota Corolla he was driving crashed during a Tennessee Highway Patrol pursuit on U.S. Highway 127 South near the entrance to Cumberland Mountain State Park in Cumberland County.
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At approximately 1:44 a.m., Aytes was traveling south on U.S. Highway 127 while being pursued at high speed by a Tennessee Highway Patrol unit. The pursuit continued south toward Cumberland Mountain State Park. The available public reporting does not disclose the speed of Aytes’ vehicle or the pursuing THP vehicle, the distance or duration of the pursuit, or the reason police initiated it.
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Near the entrance to Cumberland Mountain State Park, Aytes lost control of the Corolla while negotiating a curve. The vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree with sufficient force to split the car into two sections. One portion came to rest near the concrete Cumberland Mountain State Park entrance structure and the other came to rest against a tree.
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Aytes suffered fatal injuries and was transported to Cumberland Medical Center, where he died. The Tennessee Highway Patrol Critical Incident Response Team responded to the scene and conducted forensic mapping as part of the investigation.
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Aytes was born on 07/07/2005 in Crossville and was 16 years old when he died. He was a student at Phoenix High School. His obituary described him as an outdoorsman who enjoyed fishing, hunting, four-wheeling, swimming and working on cars. He was also remembered for spending time with his family and friends.
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He was survived by his mother, Rebecca Aytes; his father, David Aytes; his siblings; grandparents; and extended family. His funeral service was held on 04/09/2022 at Crossville Memorial Funeral Home, followed by burial at Crossville City Cemetery.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The Tennessee Highway Patrol did not publicly identify the trooper who initiated and participated in the pursuit in the verified sources located. The available public record also does not disclose why the trooper initiated the pursuit.
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