Authorities arrested a Cookeville man Wednesday on aggravated assault and reckless endangerment charges.
The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) charged 27-year-old John Poole in connection with an incident along West Jackson Street earlier this month.
Arrest warrants state Cookeville Police made contact with Poole and his wife at the Walmart parking lot during a verbal argument with two small children under the age of 14 months in their vehicle. No wrongdoing was found at the time and the two were able to leave.
Later Poole attempted to stop the vehicle on West Jackson Street by turning off the ignition and putting it in park while traveling 45 mph. Poole’s wife was able to put the key back in the ignition before Poole attempted the same maneuver down the street.
The two stopped at a house belonging to a relative of Poole’s wife when Poole threatened to cut one of the children with a knife. Warrants indicate the woman got the kids inside the house safely and locked Poole outside of the residence when he then left screaming obscenities.
A PCSO deputy spotted Poole Wednesday evening and placed him under arrest in connection with the incident. Poole is currently being held on $12,000 bond at the Putnam County Jail with a court date scheduled for April 29.
