Deputies taze, arrest 2 men after separate pursuits on Saturday

May 20, 2024

WDEF News,

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office helped arrest two people after separate pursuits over the weekend in Chattanooga. There was a third pursuit as well, but no arrests have been made yet in that incident.

On Saturday at around 3 p.m., deputies tried to stop a silver Chevrolet Impala for committing traffic offenses on Rossville Boulevard. HCSO said the driver fled into Walker County, Georgia. The driver then lost control, slid into a ditch and tried to flee on foot, HCSO said.

Authorities tazed and arrested the suspect, who they identified as 31-year-old Malcolm Twilley.

Malcolm Twilley. HCSO

HCSO said Twilley had two bags of fentanyl in his pocket and a set of digital scales. He also had a revoked Tennessee driver’s license and active arrest warrants. Those warrants were for possession of a controlled substance and possession of a firearm with intent to go armed.

Twilley faces the following charges from the pursuit.

Resisting arrest
Reckless driving
Reckless endangerment (felony)
Possession of meth while driving (5g)
Possession of meth for resale
Possession of a controlled substance (fentanyl)
Driving on a revoked license
Driving under the influence
Possession of drug paraphernalia
Evading arrest (felony)

In the second pursuit, Walker County Sheriff’s Office deputies were attempting to stop a stolen 2006 Land Rover. They said the Land Rover had struck one of their patrol vehicles on Saturday evening.

Hamilton County joined in the pursuit around 5:30 p.m. when the suspect crossed the state line. The deputy stopped the driver with a PIT maneuver on Rossville Boulevard.

Deputies tried to taze the suspect, which had “limited effectiveness,” according to the sheriff’s office. They said he fled on foot and tried to hit a deputy with his pocketbook.

Authorities arrested the suspect, who they identified as 29-year-old Lyric Cruz.

Lyric Cruz. HCSO

HCSO said he had a small bag of meth and a folding knife in the purse. He also had active warrants for evading arrest and reckless aggravated assault under the alias Marcus Rivers, authorities stated.

Cruz admitted to using meth before driving, according to the HCSO. He assaulted a deputy while being placed in a patrol car, the sheriff’s office said.

The HCSO is charging Cruz with the following.