Maryville man sentenced to 18 months for fleeing from Park ranger
From Staff Reports
From Staff Reports
A Maryville man was sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee to 18 months in prison for attempting to flee from a ranger in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Dewey
Tyson Bradburn, 51, pleaded guilty in May to a federal grand jury indictment, charging him with fleeing and attempting to elude a law enforcement officer.
According to a press release from the Department of Justice, on Nov. 2, 2011, a ranger in the Chimney’s Picnic area saw Bradburn sitting in a vehicle with what appeared to be drug paraphernalia. Upon being confronted by the ranger, Bradburn quickly fled the area in his vehicle, leading the ranger on a high-speed chase toward Gatlinburg.
When attempting to escape from the ranger, Bradburn drove at speeds in excess of 70 miles per hour, crossing the center line on numerous occasions, and nearly colliding with oncoming traffic. Bradburn’s vehicle was ultimately stopped when rangers used a spike strip to deflate the vehicle’s tires.
“Our Park is the most visited national park in America,” said Chief Park Ranger Clayton Jordan in a statement. “We hope that this sentence sends a clear message to persons like Bradburn, that actions risking the lives of our visitors will result in some serious consequences.”
