MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) - An accused carjacker is behind bars after bailing out of a burning car during a pursuit in Montgomery County.
Witnesses captured the turn of events on cell phone video Monday afternoon near Palmyra.
"I think your car is on fire there, bud," a witness said in the video as sirens blared and deputies followed the smoking car at a slow pace.
The driver of the suspect vehicle, who was later identified as 22-year-old William Tyler Rye, then opened the door and jumped out of the car, landing in the middle of Highway 149. The burning car rolled off into a grove of trees as deputies surrounded Rye with their guns drawn.
The deputies took Rye into custody, but the series of events started in Clarksville. That's where, according to an arrest warrant, Rye assaulted a man and hit him multiple times before taking off with the victim’s car.
Montgomery County deputies said the carjacking was domestic related.
Authorities saw Rye driving recklessly at a high rate of speed while passing other drivers on the shoulder of the road. Witnesses told News 2 Rye sped through a school zone, nearly hitting them. A deputy said during the pursuit, the vehicle appeared to have a mechanical malfunction as smoke emanated from the car and flames shot out from underneath the vehicle.
Court records show Rye is no stranger to law enforcement. He still has an open case from last year that shows a number of charges, including evading arrest with a vehicle involved and reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon. Records from 2022 show Rye was charged with vandalism, and the year prior, he was charged with aggravated assault.
Rye now faces a long list of new charges including violation of an order of protection, evading arrest, reckless driving, and carjacking. Rye's charges stem from both the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office and the Clarksville Police Department. He is scheduled to appear before a judge later this month.