Man arrested after Marion County pursuit turned into tense standoff

David Lee Dewitt

MARION COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) —  A man has been arrested following a pursuit and a tense standoff with law enforcement.

Thursday, November 21, 2024, at 9:30 p.m. CST, the Marion County Sheriff’s Department (MCSD) assisted in a vehicle pursuit initiated by the Dade County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO).

The suspect, David Lee Dewitt, fled from deputies during a traffic stop.

According to MCSD, Dewitt led law enforcement along Tennessee Highway 134 before turning onto Tennessee Highway 156 in Whiteside.

The pursuit came to an end when Dewitt’s vehicle crashed between two trees.

Following the crash, Dewitt escalated the situation by threatening officers, reportedly declaring, “Nobody was leaving alive,” before firing two gunshots.

After 30 to 45 minutes of negotiations, Dewitt surrendered to law enforcement.

He now faces charges of aggravated assault on law enforcement and is being held at the Marion County Jail.