Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Involved in Pursuit on Highway 27
Hamilton County, TN – On November 10, 2023, at approximately 12:20 am, a Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office deputy conducted a traffic stop in the 1700 block of Highway 27 South. The vehicle was a red 2006 Honda Accord.
As the deputy exited his patrol vehicle and approached the stopped vehicle, the driver, later identified as Cody Ratcliff, began to drive south at a high rate of speed. The deputy returned to his vehicle and a pursuit began.
Cody exited Highway 27 South via the Harrison Lane exit where he drove east to the Middle Valley (Hixson) area. Several times deputies lost sight of the vehicle in this area, but it was eventually located again on Highway 27 South. Not only was Cody driving the vehicle recklessly with speeds reaching over 100 miles per hour, but he continually turned off his vehicle’s lights in an attempt to make it difficult for deputies to see him posing great risk to motorists and law enforcement.
A Red Bank Police Department officer was able to successfully use spike strips to stop the vehicle on Highway 27 near the Signal Mountain Road exit. Once the vehicle was spike stripped, Cody attempted to exit Highway 27 via the Manufacturer’s Road exit, but he crashed on the off-ramp.
Cody and the passenger, identified as Isaac Gann, were put into handcuffs. There was a backseat passenger located in the vehicle as well, identified as Shonda Lawson. A search of Cody’s person located the following items:
• Small clear plastic bag of Meth (3 grams)
• Small clear plastic bag of Heroin (1 gram)
• 5 blue Fentanyl pills
• Used glass Meth pipe
• Used plastic drug pipe with aluminum foil
At the time of the arrest, Cody appeared to deputies to be under the influence of drugs. It was further found that Cody had valid full-extradition felony warrants (drugs) out of Bradley County, Tennessee.
The passenger, Isaac Gann, was found to have a used plastic drug pipe in his pocket and stated he was on probation for burglary, theft, and drug charges.
As the vehicle was totaled in the accident, as a precaution, all three occupants were transported to a local hospital for medical review.
Isaac was issued a Misdemeanor Citation for the Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and both he and the other passenger, Shonda Lawson, were released at the hospital.
Once discharged from the hospital, Cody was transported him to the Hamilton County Jail & Detention Center where he was charged with the following:
• Felony Evading
• Felony Reckless Endangerment
• Meth for Resale (felony)
• Heroin for Resale (felony)
• Fentanyl for Resale (felony)
• Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
• Driving while Revoked
• No Insurance
Cody was also booked for his outstanding Bradley County warrants.
No further details are available at this time.
