Affidavit: Kidnapped teen suffered severe head trauma
UPDATE:
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — An affidavit describes the details of the kidnapping of a juvenile earlier this week.
Antonio Wright. HCSO
It states that the victim was a 14-year-old female, and it explains what she described to police.
She told police the suspect, Antonio Wright, 50, knocked at her apartment door. She said she knew him, so she let him in.
The victim said Wright was acting extremely upset, made suicidal statements and told her that “someone was going to pay.”
He then became aggressive, hit her repeatedly in the face and strangled her, causing her to lose consciousness. She also told police she yelled for her parents, but they did not hear her.
She said Wright then grabbed her by the hair, dragged her downstairs and forced her into his vehicle.
When the victim saw police behind his car, she then jumped out to get away from Wright.
The affidavit explained she went to the hospital to be treated of her injuries, which included “severe head/face trauma” and other injuries.
SEE PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
April 11, 2024
Chattanooga Police have filed charges against the suspect in the kidnapping and abduction case of a juvenile.
They have charged Antonio Wright, 50, with aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping and vandalism.
These charges are for the original incident prior to the police chase.
Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office filed additional charges for the pursuit. Find those below.
April 10, 2024
The Chattanooga Police Department said it first responded to this call at 10:15 p.m. on Tuesday.
Officers originally responded to a burglary in progress call on the 6800 block of Spence Lane.
While on scene, officers said the call upgraded to a kidnapping of a juvenile.
In addition, they said the juvenile victim did go to the hospital with minor injuries.
April 10, 2024
HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) — The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office was involved in a chase with a potential kidnapping suspect. A woman also jumped out of the car while it was moving.
The incident happened overnight at around 1:30 a.m. Deputies originally responded to a shooting in an apartment at the 6800 block of Spence Lane, but they later determined there was no shooting. Instead, the HCSO said the call was relating to an intruder at the apartment.
The HCSO identified the suspect as Antonio Wright.
Authorities said he was driving a silver Chevrolet Malibu. Deputies saw the car leave the complex and head south on Highway 58. They followed the vehicle as they attempted to obtain more information about the incident.
While deputies followed the car, they witnessed a juvenile female jump out of the car while it was in motion. Authorities said she rolled several times before coming to a stop on the side of the road.
The HCSO makes it clear in their statement that the young lady was not a suspect in this case. It has not been confirmed yet whether Wright kidnapped her.
After she jumped out, HCSO said Wright drove off at a high rate of speed. They tried to stop him several times while driving south on Highway 58. Deputies deployed spike strips near the 4400 block of Highway 58, but Wright kept fleeing.
They said he lost control twice on South Access Road, and he struck a patrol vehicle at one point. He even continued driving with a flat tire into the River Park, near the Chickamauga Dam.
Deputies tried to conduct PIT maneuvers without success. Wright eventually ran off the road and struck a block wall. There, deputies boxed him in with patrol cars.
According to the HCSO, he ignored all the deputies’ commands and was reaching around the vehicle. They deployed bean bag rounds to break out the Chevrolet’s windows, and they used pepper spray, without success. The sheriff’s office said deputies also used a taser, but Wright kept reaching for something and yelling “just kill me.”
Eventually, deputies removed him from the vehicle and took him into custody.
The sheriff’s office arrested Antonio Wright and filed charges based on the pursuit. Those include felony evading, aggravated assault and resisting arrest.
Sheriff Austin Garrett made this statement on the incident:
“Last night while many of us were sleeping, your Sheriff’s Office responded to a violent incident and was involved in a pursuit that would eventually leave one very brave young woman jumping from a moving vehicle while deputies relentlessly pursued her captor. It is for critical situations such as this, your Sheriff’s Office deputies are highly trained to utilize a variety of tools, both lethal and non-lethal in nature, to pursue dangerous suspects in order to keep you and your family safe. I am very grateful this young woman was not more seriously injured, and I am proud of her brave actions. Each and every day, we work together with our law enforcement partners to ensure your safety throughout Hamilton County. Let me be clear, when the initial call for help comes, despite where in the county it takes place, we are all coming…”
However, they turned the case over to the Chattanooga Police Department to handle the original incident prior to the pursuit.
In addition, HCEMS responded to medically review the young lady.
