Bondsman Gets Suspect With a Little Help

A Blount County bounty hunter got his man Monday night, but not until after Oak Ridge police were contacted and an unidentified citizen provided a little help.

Oak Ridge police reports said officers were sent to the Grove Center about 6:30 p.m. Monday, after someone reported shots being fired in the shopping center.

When officers arrived, they found a Blount County bail bondsman armed with two weapons: a handgun and a shotgun.

Christopher Harwell, a Blount County bondsman, told officers he was trying to apprehend a suspect and had fired a bean bag projectile at a man. He told officers the suspect was wanted on outstanding Blount County warrants.

The suspect, identified as Daniel Eric Reynolds, 24, 250 Jefferson Ave., was taken into custody after Harwell shot him at least once with the "less lethal ammunition." Reports said Reynolds was knocked to the ground, but got up and tried to run away again.

Harwell reportedly told police he followed Reynolds to Oak Ridge and fired the bean bag at him when he ran. He said he shot Reynolds once in the right side, knocking him down.

At that point, an unidentified person kept Reynolds from running until Harwell took him into custody.

Officer Karen Jenkins emptied the bounty hunter's weapons for safety and requested his papers that authorized the arrest.

Reports said Harwell's shotgun was loaded with two 12-gauge slugs and one 12-gauge buckshot shell, in addition to the bean bag ammo.

Jenkins reported that Harwell had the proper paperwork to apprehend Reynolds, but did not have papers pertaining to his bonding status, his weapon-carry permit, and his use of "less lethal" implements.

The bounty hunter told Jenkins he would have that paperwork faxed to the police department.

The officer's report indicates the incident won't be closed until the bondsman's paperwork has been received and she reviews the incident with the district attorney general's office.

Records do not indicate the charges Reynolds faces in Blount County. He has a criminal history in Anderson County and ended a prison sentence in August 2007.

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Steve Faircloth
A Way Out Bail Bonds
(220) 204-9733 Cell
NSIN# SF0105
LIC. #704058

Makes sense.

Less than lethal to stop the individual from getting into the ride

Load a Buckshot just incase they get up and are getting into the ride

Slugs ~ just incase you are a sh*t shot with the first two you better hope like hell that if that ride is bearing down on you better be able to hit something deadon before it hits you

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Do not consider anything for your interest which makes you break your word, quit your modesty, or inclines you to any practice which will not bear the light, or look the world in the face .... Marcus Antonius

I AM Some Folks "KARMA" and A MODERATOR @ FRN

Everything depends on the local/state laws. The bondsman did it right with less than lethal, but it is up to his state law to determine the 'use of force' issue. I hope things work out for him!

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Kathy Blackshear
Blackshear Investigations
Blackshear Bail Bonds
Sales Associate, Prepaid Legal Services, Inc.
Walsenburg, CO

Proud Member of the AB Reject Club

IMHO, hes wrong all the way around. Weapons are used for defense. Not fleeing fugitives. He should have been smarter on his prelims and he wouldnt have been in the situation to have to shoot anything period at a fleeing person.

I wouldnt want this guy working on my dime.

Again, its just my opinion.....

what Andy said....

In my state it is against the law:

1) To discharge a firearm within most city limits

2) To shoot at a fleeing criminal who is running away from you and not endangering your life or anyone else's.

3) To discharge a firearm within a populated area....reckless endangerment of life...etc.

A LOADED SHOTGUN AND A PISTOL IN A SHOPPING CENTER ?????? Some of you don't see a problem with this ? I tell you what, if I'm at a shopping center with my friends or family, and I see an un-uniformed, everyday looking joe, wielding weaponry, who isn't readily identifying himself, you can bet your bottom dollar I'm getting cover for my friends and family as well as drawing my weapon.

That's just sheer lunacy.....shotgun in a shopping mall.....sheesh....

Remember what we all strive to teach and emphasize......low key, low impact...look at how many times each of us has quietly approached a suspect and talked him/her into cuffs without ever brandishing or displaying anything ?

This cowboy has liability written all over him....he's lucky he doesn't get sued by any of the innocent bystander's, the owners of the shopping mall, store clerks, etc.

Why didn't he have his credentials with him ? Especially his ccw ? Here, you can/will be arrested for carrying concealed without a permit....and the cops didn't arrest him at least for that ?

too bad it isn't open season yet on stupid people......

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River City Associates
Decatur, Al. 35601

Not necessarily my SOP, cos I agree with AndyL and would have probably used my Taser, but at the same time, I can relate in that the bondsman used an LTL approach to stop the suspect and got outside help to get him detained long enough to get the suspect apprehended.

We do what we have to do to do our jobs.

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Kathy Blackshear
Blackshear Investigations
Blackshear Bail Bonds
Sales Associate, Prepaid Legal Services, Inc.
Walsenburg, CO

Proud Member of the AB Reject Club

I don't think the cops around here would be to happy if I started shooting bean bags at suspects in a shopping mall. I am in the this could have been done with a little more planning camp on this one.

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Mark C. Cavendish is a Certified Fugitive Recovery Agent, P.O.S.T. Certified by the State of Colorado and registered with the Arizona Department of Insurance. Member of the National Surety Investigators Network #MC806, The U.S. Professional Bail Bond Investigators Association, and a Life Member of The U.S. Coalition of Bail recovery Agents "Cobra" Control # 1058. Serveing Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico.
phone 520.850.7490 24/7/365

"Sub Rosa"

Well I did not say that I condoned his behavior.
Only my opinion on the loading of the shotgun
Mark . . the LEOs might not mind if you shot some with beanbags I am think that there is alot more to the story as to why they were at a Shopping Mall inthe first place . . .

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Do not consider anything for your interest which makes you break your word, quit your modesty, or inclines you to any practice which will not bear the light, or look the world in the face .... Marcus Antonius

I AM Some Folks "KARMA" and A MODERATOR @ FRN

I have a "bean bag" chair in my den... if I shot that at somebody they would not get up!!! ... besides... I don't think I can get that in my 870.

I know, I know.... shouldn't be making lite of this stuff... but you all know me????????

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Bill Marx, Sr.
"FREE STATE BAIL BONDS"
"FREE STATE INVESTIGATIONS"
DCJS: 99-176979
Cell: 434-294-0222

"Endeavor to Persevere" "Lone Watie"

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that , comes from bad judgment" "Will Rogers"

well you can get in trouble with me LOL

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Do not consider anything for your interest which makes you break your word, quit your modesty, or inclines you to any practice which will not bear the light, or look the world in the face .... Marcus Antonius

I AM Some Folks "KARMA" and A MODERATOR @ FRN