A wanted fugitive is dead and his alleged drug-dealing accomplice arrested following an incident in Polk County Wednesday, November 15.
Matthew Alexander Rich, 40, was shot and killed by law enforcement officers after firing upon them as they attempted to serve him with an arrest warrant.
Tammy Loreane Newton, 44, of 335 CC Camp Road, in Copperhill was arrested and charged with three felonies and a misdemeanor. (See related story).
Deputies with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, deputy U.S. Marshals, a U.S. Marshals task force officer, and 10th Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force agent were all on the scene attempting to arrest Rich, according to the TBI. Tenth Judicial Circuit District Attorney Shari Tayloe said agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were also present.
Polk County Sheriff Steve Ross said the marshal’s help has been requested because Rich was going back and forth between states to avoid capture.
Ross said Polk County deputies did not shoot during the altercation with Rich, but he did give those involved “a couple days rest.”
According to the arrest warrant for Newton, officers had gone to Rich’s address at 335 CC Camp Road to serve a capias/bench warrant issued by Polk County Criminal Court on original charges of Possession of Methamphetamine for Resale, Possession of Cocaine for Resale, two counts of Aggravated Assault, Evading Arrest and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
The warrant was issued when Rich failed to appear for a September 5 court date when he was scheduled to be sentenced on the charges.
When officers arrived, Newton exited the camper and said Rich was not present.
Shortly afterward, Rich emerged from the camper and fired a semi-automatic handgun at officers striking one of their vehicles.
That resulted in three officers returning fire, striking and killing Rich, according to a press release from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI).
Tayloe requested the TBI investigate the shooting after it occurred, and agents arrived on the scene that evening.
At the time of the shooting, Rich was also wanted on a Probation Violation arrest warrant issued by Fannin County Chief Magistrate Judge Brian Jones.
That warrant, issued September 22, was sought as a result of Rich violating conditions of his release from a Georgia detention center. He pled guilty to a 2008 Aggravated Assault charge out of Fannin County and was sentenced to 365 days to serve and 20 years probation. Court records show his parole date as May 9, 2022.
The Probation Violation warrant charged him with failing to report and permit visits at home or elsewhere, failing to comply with special conditions including submitting to drug tests, and failing to make restitution.
The November 2019 term of the Fannin County Grand Jury indicted Rich in May 2020 for Giving False Information to a Law Enforcement Officer.
A review of records revealed Rich had previously been arrested for drug sales, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, aggravated assaults, and probation violations.
One of the Probation Violation arrests occurred January 28, 2020, he led Polk County deputies on a high speed chase through Copperhill’s residential neighborhoods after they attempted to stop him on Colonial Avenue.
Rich was wanted on a Probation Violation warrant out of Fannin County at the time.
He drove to his then-residence at the intersection of Colonial Avenue and Creme Street, through the Johnsontown Hill neighborhoods.
At the bottom of Johnsontown Hill, after ramming a deputy’s vehicle, he crashed onto the railroad tracks above the Hometown IGA.
He fled on foot and was caught near the First Baptist Church of Copperhill/McCaysville.