Jan. 02--CROSSVILLE -- An early morning fracas at a Crossville bar sent three men to Cumberland Medical Center's emergency room and resulted in another man being held for investigation into the incident. No charges have been filed against the person who told police he did stab at least two persons and ran over one.
The person taken into custody for questioning is the same man charged with shooting at a shoplifter at a local convenience store in November.
Crossville Police, the city fire department and county ambulance service were dispatched to the parking lot of the Branding Iron at 3:10 a.m. on Dec. 24 on a report of up to three people being stabbed and someone being run over, according to Ptl. Jason Wilson's report.
Ptl. John Karlsven and Wilson arrived and were told that the person involved in the stabbing had fled in a Nissan Maxima. They found three witnesses who told investigators that the suspect had "started an altercation at the bar" by telling someone named Jake Hale he was going to assault him.
Hale walked to the man's vehicle and the suspect displayed a handgun. An Adam Mullins then entered the vehicle from the passenger side in an attempt to subdue the suspect. Mullins was stabbed and the suspect attempted to flee, backing over Hale's leg. The suspect then put the vehicle in drive and ran over Hale a second time.
The suspect, identified as Paras Ramanbhai Patel, 32, 89 Jacob's Crossing, Apt. 204, returned to the scene and told police that a group of men outside the bar made comments about his ethnicity and then followed him to his vehicle where they started beating on the car with their fists.
Someone in the group of seven opened his doors and Patel said he was punched in the face. Patel said it was then that he pulled out a handgun because of his fear for his safety. Patel said he was then choked at which time he pulled out a knife and stabbed the man who was choking him.
Patel said he was punched in the face again and stabbed that person. He then started his vehicle and left the scene, telling officers he believed he had run over someone as he fled.
Sgt. Chris Kendrick, Det. Bill Padgett and Maj. Mark Rosser all responded to the scene and took over the investigation.
Patel's vehicle was seized and take to the city impound lot to be processed and detectives this week were waiting to view a surveillance video of the parking lot.
Investigation is on-going and charges may be pending.
Copyright 2012 - Crossville Chronicle, Tenn.
