Hitchhikers stab and strangle good Samaritan before stealing his car, TN cops say
A Tennessee man thought he was doing a good deed when he picked up two hitchhikers.
But the situation quickly went awry when the pair attacked the driver and stole his car, police say.
On March 31, William Joseph Luttrell, 40, from Knoxville, picked up Joseph Allen Ball, 40, and Krystal Burns, 24, both from Strawberry Plains, off Interstate 40 in Kodak, according to a report from the Sevierville Police Department.
Once in the vehicle, Burns asked the driver to pull over the car so she could use the restroom.
When Luttrell stopped, Burns, who was in the back seat, put a rope around his throat, holding him to the driver’s seat, while Ball pulled a knife and stabbed the driver, according to the police report.
“The assault continued outside of the vehicle until the victim was away from the vehicle,” authorities said.
Police said Luttrell got out of the car and ran toward the interstate to seek help.
The driver sustained ligature marks from the strangulation and a cut in his left hand. He received medical treatment on the scene, according to the police report.
Officers said Burns and Ball were located in Luttrell’s 2012 Toyota Corolla about 35 miles southwest of where the assault took place, in Blount County.
Burns and Bell were arrested on charges of aggravated robbery, aggravated assault and theft of property between $10,000 and $60,000, according to police.
This story was originally published April 8, 2022 at 11:43 AM with the headline "Hitchhikers stab and strangle good Samaritan before stealing his car, TN cops say."
