March 2023 Mission Moment
Sergeant Chris Jenkins
Loudon Cunty Sheriff’s Office, Tennessee
On February
3, 2022, Sergeant Chris Jenkins was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer
while attempting to move a ladder from I-75 near mile marker 74 in Loudon
County, Tennessee.
The ladder had fallen off the back of a utility truck and had created a traffic
hazard on the interstate. Sergeant Jenkins had brought traffic to a stop with a
rolling roadblock and then exited his vehicle to remove the ladder. An oncoming
tractor-trailer was unable to stop and struck Sergeant Jenkins, his cruiser,
and several other vehicles.
The vehicle that dropped the ladder never stopped. The driver of the truck that
struck him was charged with vehicular homicide by intoxication, vehicular homicide
by recklessness, two counts of reckless endangerment, DUI, simple possession of
narcotics, possession of a handgun under the influence, and possession of drug
paraphernalia.
Sergeant Jenkins was a United States Air Force veteran and had served with the
Loudon County Sheriff’s Office for 20 years. He is survived by his son,
daughter, mom, fiancée, fiancée’s two daughters, sister, brother-in-law, and
two nephews. His son also serves as a deputy with the agency.
Sergeant Jenkins was a first cousin of Deputy Sheriff Jason Scott, who was shot
and killed in the line of duty on March 12th, 2004, while also serving with the
Loudon County Sheriff’s Office.
