Wanted Criminal Uses Mullet As Disguise

A McMinn County man, wanted on a long list of charges, leads troopers and deputies on a chase through one of the main streets in Athens, wearing an unusual costume.  The Sheriff's Office says Lloyd Powell has escaped arrest before, so last week we wore a mullet wig as a disguise.  McMinn County Sgt. Greg Walker says Powell is wanted in 5 different Tennessee counties for thefts and burglaries.  Last Thursday, he says they finally got a break, and not even his make believe mullet could hide the convicted criminal's identity.  But, he certainly scared several who happened to be nearby as he made one last run from authorities.

Michael Midgett was riding in his car with his wife last Thursday, when they had to make a sudden stop on Congress Parkway for Lloyd Powell, who ran into the street and right up to their car.  Midgett says he looked crazy, and so did his hair.  "I didn't get the do, he had the do on, a big wig."

Authorities say Powell was using that mullet to mask his identity, since he was wanted.  Midgett says it was clear he needed to get away quickly, and tried to get in his door and through the back seat.  "When I looked out, looked him in the eyes, and he looked in my eyes, I was just like get on, get away."

But he didn't, and tried to hang on to Midgett's trunk.  "He put his fingers on here, you can see, he had his leg like this and I just said to my wife, just go, just go."

That's when Midgett says he saw Sgt. Greg Walker with his gun drawn.  Walker tells us he was talking with another officer about Powell just minutes before and spotted Powell's truck go by.  He followed him to the nearby Sears parking lot, where it wasn't as easy to spot the suspect himself.  "That day he had on a ball cap with a mullet wig, which I had never seen before so it kind of threw me off."

But not for long.  Walker and another officer chased Powell across the road, which is where he tried to carjack two separate vehicles, one of which was Midgett's.  Mdigett admits that at one point, he was scared, "If he'd have gotten in the car put the knife to my wife or me, he could have slit our throats."

Fortunately Walker says Powell kept his weapons in his pocket, and he was finally able to tackle and arrest him.  Walker says it's satisfying to get such a bold criminal off the streets. "No respect for public safety at all, cause he knows he's going to prison so he'll try to get away at any cost."

Powell now faces charges of evading arrest, resisting arrest, and driving without a license.  Walker says Powell has led authorities on police chases before, and was also violating community corrections, which is one step above probation.

He's still in the jail without bond and several other agencies are now investigating him for unrelated crimes.

Wlker says Powell's girlfriend Sahron Stephens was also arrested in the incident.  He says she is now charged with giving a false statement and theft.  Walker says they do believe that Stephens was helped to hide Powell from authorities.