Man who attempted 'suicide by cop' pleads
Aug. 31—The Kentucky man who led Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers on a high-speed chase, crashed into a pursuing deputy's car and pointed an object at troopers as if he was armed in a "suicide by cop" attempt pleaded guilty in Criminal Court to a lesser charge.
Jerome Scott Peden, 48, was originally charged with attempted first-degree murder and evading arrest. Since the Sept. 4, 2021, incident, Peden was charged with simple assault in an incident in the Cumberland County Jail involving another inmate.
Peden pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree murder and received an eight-year prison sentence to serve. Court costs were waived and he was given credit for 289 days already served in jail.
The evading arrest charge was dropped in exchange for the plea.
In the unrelated plea, Peden pleaded guilty to simple assault for hitting a fellow inmate with a metal food tray while incarcerated at the Justice Center on Feb. 11. The victim was not seriously injured and Peden was given credit for time served on the misdemeanor charge.
In the September 2021 incident, Kentucky authorities asked Tennessee officers to be on the lookout for Peden, who had been a mental crisis and might not be of sound mind. A second message from the family reported to police that Peden was suicidal and wanting to force police into killing him. It is unclear if the entire message was relayed to police on patrol but THP Trooper Haley Uzelac spotted Peden's 2017 Nissan Maxima traveling through Cumberland County on I-40.
Peden fled from the trooper, traveling east on I-40 from west of the 317 mile marker to the Jamestown exit. Peden continued his flight south on N. Main St. to Interstate Dr. and then back traveling east on I-40.
Speeds during the pursuit reached in excess of 125 mph with Peden weaving in and out of Saturday afternoon traffic and THP units discontinued the pursuit when the Nissan exited I-40 at the Crab Orchard exit.
Uzelac and Trooper Bobby Barker continued to follow the fleeing vehicle, although not in pursuit at this point, and observed the Nissan enter a field, return to the ramp and travel at a high rate of speed into former CCSO Deputy Sgt. Kevin Davis' patrol car in what was described as a "t-bone crash."
The impact sent the Nissan off the roadway and as law enforcement descended on the car and ordered Peden to show his hands, Peden raised a handle-grip flashlight. Peden ignored orders to drop the black object and when he pointed it at an officer, Pedem was shot.
During a later interview, Peden was asked if it was true about the suicide by cop reference and Peden responded, "Yeah."
Davis and Peden were flown to different regional trauma centers by helicopters that landed at the scene on I-40 and Peden was hospitalized for an extended period of time.
Both have since recovered from their injuries although Davis is no longer employed in law enforcement.
Judge Gary McKenzie accepted the plea agreement, recognizing that Peden's mental health history would have raised issues of mental capacity if the case had gone to trial.
Michael Moser may be reached at mmoser@crossville-chronicle.com
