KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A Knoxville man was taken into custody Thursday morning after leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase in a stolen vehicle. Joshua Daryl Mayes, 29, faces multiple charges after allegedly burglarizing two vehicles and stealing a red Mustang earlier this week.
The chain of events began on the night of April 22, when Mayes is accused of breaking into two vehicles and stealing the Mustang. The following day, detectives with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office located the stolen vehicle and attempted to initiate a traffic stop. However, Mayes reportedly fled the scene, sparking a high-speed pursuit that saw him evading authorities on I-40 and Papermill Road. The chase ended when the Mustang became lost from view, prompting law enforcement to call off the pursuit.
The investigation continued, and on Thursday morning, detectives tracked Mayes to a location behind a business on East Emory Road. Authorities reported that Mayes was in the process of spray-painting the stolen Mustang at the time. Upon seeing law enforcement, he fled once again, prompting a second chase involving officers from Knox, Anderson, and Loudon counties.
The pursuit finally came to an end when the Mustang ran over spike strips deployed by a deputy from Loudon County. Mayes was halted along Hardin Valley Road and arrested without further incident.
Mayes, who has multiple outstanding warrants from both the Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Blount County Sheriff’s Office, now faces additional charges related to the stolen vehicle, the burglaries, and the high-speed pursuit. He is currently being held pending further investigation.
Authorities continue to investigate the case, and additional charges may be forthcoming as the investigation progresses.
