Death by Cop 2021-2025
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Elijah “Eli” Charles Morley
Age : 22
Gender : Male
Race : White
Date : 01/30/2022
Location : Norris Freeway / Highway 441 near Mountain Road
City : Unincorporated Anderson
County : Anderson County
State : Tennessee
Agency : Tennessee Highway Patrol
Officer(s) :Austin Dean
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Traffic stop
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
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REASON FOR CHASE: The publicly available accounts confirm that Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Austin Dean initiated and continued the pursuit, but they do not disclose why Dean initially attempted to stop Morley or what offense preceded the pursuit.
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NARRATIVE:
On 01/30/2022, 22-year-old Elijah Charles “Eli” Morley of Dandridge was killed when his vehicle crashed during a Tennessee Highway Patrol pursuit in Anderson County. His passenger, Dustin Dienst of Morristown, was critically injured and subsequently died from his injuries on February 8.
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At approximately 2 p.m., Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Austin Dean pursued the vehicle occupied by Morley and Dienst. Anderson County District Attorney General Dave Clark subsequently confirmed that the pursuit traveled over multiple roadways before reaching the area of Norris Freeway/Highway 441 and Mountain Road in an unincorporated portion of Anderson County.
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Near Mountain Road and Highway 441, both Morley’s vehicle and Dean’s THP cruiser left the roadway and crashed. Public accounts do not provide the complete collision sequence or establish whether the two vehicles made contact before leaving the roadway.
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Morley suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead following the crash. Dienst survived the initial collision with severe injuries and was transported to a hospital. Trooper Dean was also injured, received hospital treatment and was released.
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The Tennessee Highway Patrol Critical Incident Response Team responded to conduct a crash reconstruction. The Tennessee Highway Patrol and Anderson County District Attorney General’s Office investigated the pursuit and fatal collision. Investigators awaited toxicology testing, final autopsy findings and the accident-reconstruction report before completing their review.
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Morley’s funeral-home obituary confirms his full name, age and January 30 death. He was a graduate of Cocke County High School, where he was a member of the wrestling team, and was employed by Blue Ridge Yurts in Floyd, Virginia.
SOURCE LINKS :
https://www.wate.com/news/da-driver-identified-in-fatal-thp-involved-chase/#:~:text=On%20Sunday%2C%20Jan.,trooper%20was%20Trooper%20Austin%20Dean
