Tinch
Tennessee Tech students Ian Bland and Caleb Lee Tinch were arrested shortly before 3 a.m. Nov. 11. Both students were visibly intoxicated when Officer Chris Melton arrived on the scene.
According to the report, Bland attempted to flee the scene after crashing his car into a brick retaining wall on West Seventh Street in Cookeville. When other officers arrived, Bland ran and Officers Melton and Char
les Teeters followed them. Officer Neil Taylor apprehended Bland near the Tech baseball fields.
Following the chase, Bland was returned to his car and consented to a blood test at Cookeville Regional Medical Center.
“I advised Bland of his Miranda rights in verbal form and Bland stated that he understood his rights,” said Teeters. “Bland was unable to process any questions that I posed so the interview was stopped.”
Bland
Bland was transported to CRMC where they drew blood and then to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office where officers searched him and found a green leafy substance that was believed to be marijuana. He was charged with evading arrest/foot pursuit, driving under the influence and possession of a controlled substance.
Tinch, the passenger in the car, had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and was unsteady on his feet when Officer Josh Ward took him to the PCSO. While waiting to be admitted, Tinch became unruly and spat on one of the deputies.
“While I was completing paperwork, Tinch began to act out and was cursing at the deputies,” said Teeters.
Deputies were forced to use a chemical agent to subdue Tinch when he refused to comply with orders to calm down. Eventually the deputies, along with the help of Officers Herrick and Teeters, were able to subdue Tinch and place him in a cell.
Bland is an international business and cultures major, and Tinch is a basic business major at Tech.
