A Washington County man was charged with the attempted murder of a Tennessee Highway Patrol officer Thursday following an early morning police chase that ended with a single-vehicle crash and large exchange of gunfire near Tri-Cities Baptist Church in Gray.
No one was injured in the incident, which began about 2:15 a.m. when a driver traveling north on I-81 in Greene County contacted the THP and reported being tailgated by a vehicle following with its headlights on high beam.
Trooper Noah Click said a dispatcher directed the driver to exit the interstate at the THP station in Fall Branch at which point the suspect’s vehicle, a red 2005 Ford Focus, continued traveling north on the Interstate.
Trooper Jeff Appleba attempted to stop the car for speeding about 3 miles north of the Fall Branch exit but the driver, who was later identified as Derrick Dakota Kitzmiller, 21, Gray, continued at speeds up to 115 mph, turning east onto Interstate 26 then immediately exiting at Eastern Star Road. Kitzmiller continued speed west along Eastern Star and onto Hog Hollow Road at speeds up to 80 mph before he lost control of the vehicle in a curve, left the road and struck two small trees.
According to Click, Kitzmiller and Appleba exchanged at least 15 rounds of gunfire after the crash. He said the details of how the shooting occurred were still being investigated but confirmed Appleba’s front wind shield and a rear passenger window on his cruiser appeared to have been broken by gunfire. At least seven bullet holes were found in the Focus after the shoot-out but Click said it was unclear how many of those shots were fired from inside the vehicle and how many were fired from outside.
Kitzmiller and a passenger in the vehicle, Jennifer Russell, 35, Bristol, were taken into custody after the shooting and were still being questioned by investigators early Thursday afternoon. Both Kitzmiller and Russell were carrying guns at the time of their arrest. A third gun and an open bottle of candy-flavored vodka were found in the Focus.
Kitzmiller initially was charged with attempted second degree murder, driving on suspended license, felony evading arrest, reckless endangerment, violation of the open container law and speeding. Russell was charged with altering a vehicle title or registration for allegedly changing the two tag numbers on the Focus, which was registered in her name.
Click said background checks were being conducted on Kitzmiller and Russell and additional charges would be filed. The driver who initially contacted the THP was also being questioned by investigators.
Kitzmiller’s criminal history includes convictions for attempt to obtain narcotics by fraud, misdemeanor assault and theft, and multiple counts of identification theft and fraudulent use of a credit card for which he was sentenced to nearly five years of probation in November of 2011. He was charged with violation of probation on Dec. 5 for allegedly testing positive for drug use, failure to pay fines and court costs, and failure to maintain employment.
hokeypokey writes:
January 3, 2013
2:51 PM
This man has caused more problems in the Gray area than I can count! I am glad that no one was hurt especially the THP officers. I pray that Mr Kitzmiller is not allowed out in the public ever again as I do not believe he is mentally stable, he disrupts the lives of all that care about him and is a menace to society
Please remember to keep his family in your prayers.
justmyopinion2012 writes:
January 3, 2013
3:40 PM
Losers. I despise people who are blights on society and contribute nothing but rather are a drain on the system.
volman1968 writes:
January 3, 2013
8:22 PM
Worthless menaces to society. Hang both the bottom feeders from the neck till dead.
farmerroark writes:
January 3, 2013
8:54 PM
His parents must have whipped him when
he was young. The p.o.s.
lulliegirl writes:
January 3, 2013
10:06 PM
I think they need to throw the book at them both, she is to blame too!! I live on that rd and hate to think if they got away what they would have done with those guns to our family.. I also think the cummunity needs to go to the court arraignment and stand behind those cops and make sure that judge does throw the book at them or we will continue to have scum like this on the streets!!
u4real writes:
January 3, 2013
10:35 PM
consideringing everyone is protected by the 1st amendment in this forum. maybe they have permits for those weapons. you hear what you want, but i hear "thug life". there are bad people and guns everywhere even to the point of judges. where's roy bean when ya need him. live, life, free...
mudman writes:
January 4, 2013
8:36 AM
If they did have permits for the weapons (which I doubt) you are still not supposed to be drinkin and armed.
MountainBoomer writes:
January 4, 2013
8:54 AM
or armed when stupid
kitz18 writes:
January 4, 2013
9:32 AM
Ok Guys that are disrespecting and talking bad about my brother. I am not here to argue I am here just ask for it to stop. I do understand what he has done is bad trust me, me and the family has tried to talk to him many times. He does have some mental problems but just wont take his med. I have wished my brother would go back to jail for a little while in hopes to straighten him up, but not in this way. I do love my brother he just has issues that need to be worked out but please dont bad talk him, you dont know what me him and all of our family have been through. And with this talk its just making it worst on the family. I am 18 years old and I dont wanna see my older brother like this, nor do our 2 younger sisters or younger brother, but it is what it is, but please stop your negative comments.
justmyopinion2012 writes:
January 4, 2013
9:55 AM
You can't disrespect someone who isn't respect worthy. This is a public forum for comments regarding articles published here. If people don't want to end up here, they shouldn't commit crimes. Lots of people have been through lots of things, maybe worse than your brother and your family, but most of them don't go out and commit crimes and endanger the public. Instead of blasting us for our comments maybe you and your family should work on getting your brother the help he needs or having him locked up or committed.
tntconstruction writes:
January 4, 2013
12:15 PM
thats funny * justmyopinion* you set back and point the finger but remember you dont live the good life and i do not know these folks but sounds pretty clear cut he was drinking and fired at a cop he might have been going through a hard time and was gonna commit suicide before the interruption and fired at the cop trying to get the cop to shoot him we only read one side of the story it is easy to judge a one sided book im sure there is another side and noone should be judging calling anyone names cause im sure everyone has skeletons in there closet and everyone should remember their roots you cant go to high up the ladder that you cant fall remember that you call him a bottom feeder today you might be broker and lower than him tomorrow
tntconstruction writes:
January 4, 2013
12:32 PM
everyone should be happy noone was hurt and they didnt fire into the community this could have been a much worse incident
justmyopinion2012 writes:
January 4, 2013
4:20 PM
tntconstruction, I haven't judged or called anyone names. I haven't pointed any fingers. I'm simply commenting on the story. No different than the other commenters here except I wasn't quite as brutal in my comments. Not sure why you singled me out. I'm all about personal accountability. Did you read the list of charges? (Kitzmiller initially was charged with attempted second degree murder, driving on suspended license, felony evading arrest, reckless endangerment, violation of the open container law and speeding.) (Derrick Dakota Kitzmiller, 21, Gray, continued at speeds up to 115 mph...) HE COULD'VE KILLED SOMEONE! I've had a pretty rough time in my life, but have managed not to amass such charges. If this person has a lengthy criminal history or mental issues and refuses to take his meds, he's needs to be incarcerated or institutionalized to protect law abiding citizens. I'm tired of people making excuses for people who refuse to be productive members of society.
jambi writes:
January 4, 2013
4:27 PM
I think we need a 3 strikes law that is active and works. 3 strikes and it's life.
jambi writes:
January 4, 2013
4:32 PM
Being the multiple charges these people would be in jail and not be able to cause such a disturbance any further.
stilldoingit writes:
January 4, 2013
9:25 PM
@ tntconstruction
You're right in the fact that most people have skeletons in their closet. However, I would dare say that 99.99% percent of those skeletons in our closets have nothing to do with shooting at a law enforcement officer. If it was Mr. Kitzmiller's intent to commit suicide as you speculate, I'm sure while he was traveling 115 MPH he had many opportunities to fulfill that pledge without endangering our public servants. Thank God that Trooper Appleba and other innocents went unharmed.
tntconstruction writes:
January 5, 2013
10:29 AM
*stilldoingit* and *justmyopinion* i would agree and in our system today guys like this get back out while misdemeanor vop and other non violent crimes they hold you our justice system is broken and thus has left jails and prisons over crowded and they wonder why we are taxed so high this is why i say let the non violent go and the misdemeanor and hold the violent ones this guy needs to be in a hospital where they can give him his meds and monitor him and rehabilitate if possible and if not well atleast he will be getting help i think in this case they will hold him and maybe send him for an evaluation and get him help
tntconstruction writes:
January 5, 2013
10:33 AM
*justmyopinion* i was just saying in my previous that he might have been trying to commit suicide noone really knows until he tells his side i just say lets hear both sides there is always 2 sides to every story but this guy definitely needs help from what i read from his family and the article and from his neighbors i was just saying we have all made mistakes and i know i have had it rough and what all i been through i have not been in trouble but i have family that has because they couldnt deal with some of the things they have been through they made stupid choices of getting in trouble instead of talking to a counselor
provided.