A Lawrence County career criminal, who allegedly attacked law enforcement with a stick and then ran into the woods, spent hours negotiating with a detective before he surrendered Wednesday.
LAWRENCE COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — A Lawrence County career criminal, who allegedly attacked law enforcement with a stick and then ran into the woods, spent hours negotiating with a detective before he surrendered Wednesday.
For the last 20 years, Bobby Lovell has been in and out of jail. The 42-year-old’s criminal history includes domestic violence, burglaries, drugs, and more.
According to the Lawrenceburg Police Department, on Sunday, Oct. 20, patrol officers began looking for Lovell on a domestic violence warrant. An officer safety bulletin was issued at that time, indicating he was dangerous and could be armed.
On Wednesday, Oct. 23, police encountered Lovell in the Spout Springs Road area.
According to Detective Ray Chavez, Lovell fought with officers, swinging at them with a stick, but he didn’t make contact. Then, the wanted man ran into the thick woods, which were filled with briars.
Members of the Lawrenceburg Police Department and the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, along with other first responders, set up a perimeter and launched a drone for aerial surveillance. Chavez ended up negotiating with the felon for about two hours.
“I had good rapport with Mr. Lovell. We had a conversation, I told him come out and we would have a discussion and talk about what was going on in his life and everything, and he agreed. He said he would come and surrender to me and talk to me, and he did,” Chavez explained.
According to Chavez, during the negotiations, it was unknown whether the 42-year-old was armed. On top of that, Lovell reportedly made concerning statements that he wouldn’t be taken alive.
“He didn’t want to go back to jail and possibly he was thinking suicide by cop,” the detective said.
Because of the danger Lovell presented to the community and the police, deputies were also in the woods, helping to bring this to a peaceful resolution.
“A good operation, good containment,” Chavez summarized.
“Keeping a solid working relationship with other agencies in our county is something we strive to do on a daily basis. The efforts from Wednesday are just another example of how we work together to keep our county safe,” Lawrence County Sheriff John Myers told News 2. “The Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office will always answer the call when someone needs our help.”
News 2 asked Chavez if Lovell thanked him for ending the situation peacefully.
“He did thank me for coming out and just talking to him,” Chavez replied. “His one request was he wanted me to get him a Sun Drop and I did.”
Officials said Lovell’s latest arrest could very well revoke his current probationary status with the Tennessee Department of Correction and send him to prison.