Coopertown, Tennessee
Pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated (TCA) § 39-16-502,
(a) It is unlawful for any person to:
(1) Initiate a report or statement to a law enforcement officer concerning an offense or incident within the officer’s concern knowing that:
(A) The offense or incident reported did not occur;
(B) The person has no information relating to the offense or incident reported; or
(C) The information relating to the offense reported is false; […]
(b)
(1) A violation of subdivision (a)(1) […] is a Class D felony.
On Wednesday, February 22, 2023, Coopertown Police were conducting a traffic crash investigation at the intersection of Highway 49 and Flewellyn Rd [map]. One of the parties involved called “witnesses” to return to the scene to provide statements to law enforcement regarding the crash. Andrew Todd Jones and Winham Forrest Cole Foster provided written statements to law enforcement alleging they witnessed the crash and made claims they observed one of the parties had the right-of-way, indicated by a green traffic signal. Through the course of the investigation, video surveillance footage of the crash revealed what Foster and Jones had reported was false. The statements were given to law enforcement in writing, on a statement form that warns “PURSUANT TO T.C.A. § 39-16-502, IT IS A FELONY TO INITIATE A FALSE REPORT OR STATEMENT.”
Upon concluding the crash investigation and discovering Foster and Jones had made false statements, felony warrants were issued for their arrest. Both men were arrested and taken to Robertson County Detention Center, each held with a $25,000.00 bond.
