Alan Resendiz Identified as Police Officer who was Struck

An East Ridge police officer deploying spike strips was struck by a fleeing suspect’s vehicle on Interstate-75 Monday evening.

According to officials, Officer Alan Resendiz, 26, with two years tenure with the department,  was rushed to the hospital where he is currently in stable condition. He is facing months of recovery. 

East Ridge Police Chief Clint Uselton stated in a press release on Tuesday, that Officer Resendiz was attempting to deploy spike strips in an effort to stop the fleeing vehicle when Ta’Bious Tezmon Wheat, 22, from Clarksville, TN, swerved across multiple lanes and struck the officer at an extremely high rate of speed. Wheat continued to flee south on I-75 into the state of Georgia while officers on the scene quickly began trauma care on Officer Resendiz.

Officer Alan Resendiz

Wheat was ultimately taken into custody in Whitfield County and is awaiting extradition back to the State of Tennessee. The Tennessee Highway Patrol is conducting the investigation and is the primary agency responsible for criminal prosecution.

Officials said the incident began in Marion County as a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper was pursuing Wheat in a stolen vehicle. The pursuit entered into Hamilton County where several agencies were involved in the pursuit.

The East Ridge Police Department cannot begin to express their appreciation to the Chattanooga Police Department, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol for their assistance in this matter,” Chief Uselton’s press release states. “The East Ridge Fire Department and Hamilton County EMS provided exemplary care for their injured officer and are to be commended for their efforts. The East Ridge Police Department would also like to thank the Georgia law enforcement agencies responsible for taking Mr. Wheat into custody.”