Man charged with 3 robberies following Monday chase

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Updated: 4:18 PM Sep 8, 2009 Man charged with 3 robberies following Monday chase The man police say robbed a Western Avenue Subway Monday before leading police on an hour-long high-speed chase is now facing two additional robbery charges. Posted: 11:07 AM Sep 7, 2009 Reporter: Nate McLaughlin & Michael Grider Email Address: michael.grider@wvlt-tv.com	Joshua Pitkanen (Photo Courtesy: Knoxville Police Department)

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- The man police say robbed a Western Avenue Subway Monday before leading police on an hour-long high-speed chase is now facing two additional robbery charges.

Joshua Pitkanen, 34, is charged with robbing the Western Ave. Subway Monday, but he's also charged with two counts of robbery after allegedly robbing the Subway restaurant on Merchants drive twice, once on Aug. and again Sunday, Sept. 6, according to Knoxville Police spokesman Darrell DeBusk.

DeBusk says an officer spotted Pitkanen pulling into his driveway on Conway Circle as officers searched the area for the accused robber. Pitkanen escaped the officer, but not before his dog bit the policeman. Inside the Conway Circle home, police found a woman who also lived there. Melinda England, 30, was arrested and charged with the manufacture, sale and delivery of marijuana.

In addition to the robbery counts, Pitkanen is charged with aggravated assault, resisting arrest and evading arrest for the scuffle with the officer at his home. He's also charged with reckless endangerment, resisting arrest and evading arrest in connection with an alleged attempt to run over an officer in a Food City parking lot before continuing to run from police.

The pursuit ended and Pitkanen was arrested when he lost control of his van getting off of I-40 west at the Papermill Drive exit.

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- Knoxville Police and the Knox County Sheriff's Department arrested a robbery suspect after chasing him for nearly an hour after he allegedly held up the Subway restaurant at 4436 Western Avenue around 10:30 a.m. Monday.

Police say Joshua Pitkanen, 34, eluded officers after leading them on a chase through the area around Western Avenue. He was finally taken into custody on Papermill Drive in West Knoxville after losing control of his van, police say.

Knoxville Police spokesman Darrell DeBusk says Pitkanen pulled into a residence on Conway Circle, and officers were able to get one hand cuff on him before he broke free. The suspect's dog reportedly bit an officer, who then had to be taken to a hospital for treatment.

Reports from the scene indicate that Pitkanen then fled and struggled with officers in the parking lot of the Food City store on Western Avenue before continuing to run. During the struggle, the officer tried to shoot Pitkanen with a Taser. He then tried to run over the officer, and the officer fired at the suspect, shooting out a window on the driver's side of the Pitkanen's van, DeBusk says.

Police say Pitkanen is also believed to be the suspect who robbed the Subway on Merchants Drive Sunday.

So far, Pitkanen is only charged with one county of robbery, but police say more charges are expected to filed against him.

Stay connected to Volunteer TV News and VolunteerTV.com for continuing coverage of this developing news story.

Latest Comments

Posted by: Irritation Location: Ktown on Sep 7, 2009 at 11:50 AM

I wonder if this is the same 5'5" white male with a ball cap that robbed the Subway on Merchants, mid-morning yesterday? Hmmmmmm...

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