Blog: KPD News & Alerts

Multiple Wanted Suspects Arrested, Firearms Recovered in Cumberland Avenue Area

Knoxville Police Department officers arrested multiple suspects wanted on outstanding warrants and recovered numerous firearms following enhanced patrol efforts in the Cumberland Avenue area over the weekend.

At around 11:15 p.m. on Friday, May 14, officers encountered a green Honda sedan at 1931 Cumberland Avenue. Officers approached the vehicle and made contact with the two occupants. While conducting the preliminary investigation, officers detected the smell of marijuana emanating from the vehicle. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed a bag containing various narcotics, a quantity of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Officers also located two handguns. Dustin Dodgen, 26, admitted to possession of the firearms, narcotics and drug paraphernalia, and was subsequently taken into custody. He was charged with multiple counts of simple possession as well as unlawful possession of a weapon.

At around 12:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 15, patrol officers observed wanted suspect Joshua Welcome, 24, at 1931 Cumberland Avenue. Welcome was wanted on multiple outstanding warrants, including two counts of domestic assault and one count of felony evading. Officers were able to make contact with Welcome and take him into custody without incident. Welcome was found in possession of narcotics believed to be marijuana and heroin.

At around 1 a.m. on Saturday, May 15, officers noticed an unoccupied Dodge Charger sitting at a gas pump at the Shell gas station located at 2001 Cumberland Avenue. The owner or driver was unknown to witnesses in the area. After further investigation, officers requested a K-9 unit to the scene. The K-9 alerted positive on the vehicle and a search of the vehicle was conducted. That search revealed a loaded handgun as well as an Oxycodone tablet. The handgun and narcotic were confiscated.

At around 12:15 a.m. on Sunday, May 16, officers observed a male subject sitting in the passenger’s seat of a gold Nissan Maxima at 2021 Cumberland Avenue, which was closed at the time. Officers made contact with the subject, identified as J’Marea Pirtle, 21, who was found in possession of a semi-automatic handgun as well as an AR-15 pistol. A K-9 also alerted on the vehicle and a subsequent search revealed presumed heroin. Pirtle was taken into custody and charged with possessing a firearm with intent to go armed and schedule I drug violations.

Around that same time, officers observed a male subject in the driver’s seat of a white Ford Expedition in the parking lot of 2021 Cumberland Avenue. As officers approached the subject, he fled on foot westbound on Cumberland Avenue. Officers were able to apprehend the subject, identified as Jahvionte Bray, 18, after a short foot pursuit in the area of 1901 Lake Avenue. Bray, who had an outstanding warrant for aggravated assault, was found in possession of three key fobs to different vehicles, including the white Ford Expedition, which was reported as stolen. Inside of the vehicle, officers also located a loaded AR-15 and an amount of presumed marijuana. Bray was taken into custody for the outstanding warrant, theft of property and additional charges.

Posted by serland On 17 May, 2021 at 11:20 AM