By Shannon McFarlin News Director
Big Sandy, Tenn.–A standoff in Big Sandy Tuesday ended peacefully when a man indicted for murder gave himself up to Benton County Sheriff Kenny Christopher.
The standoff occurred at the home of Jay and Kathleen Grinnell on New Hope Rd. after the TBI arrived to arrest them on charges of 2nd Degree Murder involving the death of their son, A.J., who was shot at their home after an altercation in November of 2020. A.J. Grinnell was 26.
Christopher said Jay and Kathleen Grinnell were indicted by a recent Benton County Grand Jury and TBI agents were attempting to arrest them today. “The TBI asked us to go with them to serve the papers and we were on the way, but got a call of a pursuit and had to take care of that,” Christopher said. “While the TBI was trying to talk to them, I guess Jay went off on them and tried to run over them with his truck and tried to sic his dog on them. Then he tried to run through a fence to get away.”
Benton County deputies arrived and the THP helicopter was called and Christopher said, “All this was happening at the same time school was letting out, around 2:40 p.m., so I called the school and told them to hold off on the afternoon bus routes while all this was going on.”
Christopher said Grinnell finally went into the house with the dog at which point Christopher was able to get him on the phone. “I told him, ‘I know you’re worried about your dog and I promise you no one is going to hurt your dog’.”
Christopher was able to calm him down and told Grinnell to come onto the back porch “and keep your hands where I can see them. I told him I was going to take him to jail and that his wife was already in the patrol car and I told him we were going to take her to jail, too.”
Grinnell came out onto the back porch and met Christopher, who arrested him. Grinnell was taken first to the emergency room because he said his dog bit him and he hurt his shoulder.
Christopher said, “We had to lob some tear gas in the house and he was having trouble breathing, too. He kept saying he was refusing treatment.”
The standoff ended around 4:30 p.m.
In addition to the 2nd Degree Murder Charge, Grinnell will be charged with aggravated assault with a motor vehicle, being a felon in possession of a vicious animal and other charges, Christopher said.
Both Jay and Kathleen Grinnell were taken to the Benton County Jail.
“We’re just thankful that no one was hurt in this incident,” Christopher said.
Benton County Sheriff’s Office photo.