Man ‘stunned’ three times by officers

By Jessica Stith
of The Daily Times Staff

A 47-year-old Maryville man was arrested on Saturday after a woman said he kicked down her door. Officers said the man had to be stunned several times with a Taser when he resisted arrest.

Gregory Edwin Love, 47, McMasters Place, Maryville, was arrested by Maryville police officers at 6 a.m. on charges of aggravated burglary and vandalism. He was being held in lieu of bonds totaling $51,000 pending a 9 a.m. Thursday hearing in Blount County General Sessions Court.

According to a Maryville police report, the incident began when a Maryville woman said she was arguing with Love and asked him to leave her home. As he was walking down the sidewalk to leave, she said he turned around and began to run toward her door.

The woman told officers that she knew from the look on Love’s face that she better get inside. She went inside and closed and locked the door, but she said Love “kicked in” the door. While on the phone with 9-1-1 dispatchers, she said she and a guest were holding the door back.

“She further stated that the door was coming down on top of her, and Mr. Love was trying to ‘get her,’” the report said.

Officers reported that upon their arrival, the man had fled. They responded to his residence, spotted him outside and he quickly hurried back into his house. The officers knocked on the door several times, but when Love did not answer, officers went into the house.

The officers went upstairs at the residence and said Love put an elderly woman between he and the officers. According to the report, Loved smelled of alcohol and was angry and belligerent. Officers took Love by the arm, walked him down the stairs and attempted to walk him out of the residence.

“At this time, Mr. Love began to swing at and fight with (an officer) while walking through the garage,” the report said. “Because Mr. Love was acting violently and hostile toward officers, (an officer) deployed (his) Taser X26.”

The Taser’s probes struck Love in the chest and wrist, but Love removed the probe from his arm and continued his aggression toward the officers, the report said. Officers took Love to the ground where Love continued to fight and officers stunned him three more times.

Officers reported that the first two stuns did not seem to effect Love.

“On the third drive stun, Mr. Love stopped fighting and was taken into custody,” the report said.