Crossville, Tennessee, America 3 January 2012

An early morning fracas at a Crossville bar sent three men to Cumberland Medical Center’s emergency room and resulted in another man being held for investigation into the incident. No charges have been filed against NRI Gujarati Paras Patel who told police he did stab at least two persons and ran over one.

Paras Patel taken into custody for questioning is the same man charged with shooting at a shoplifter at a local convenience store in November.

Crossville Police, the city fire department and county ambulance service were dispatched to the parking lot of the Branding Iron at 3:10 a.m. on Dec. 24 on a report of up to three people being stabbed and someone being run over, according to Ptl. Jason Wilson’s report.

Ptl. John Karlsven and Wilson arrived and were told that the person involved in the stabbing had fled in a Nissan Maxima. They found three witnesses who told investigators that the suspect had “started an altercation at the bar” by telling someone named Jake Hale he was going to assault him.

Hale walked to the man’s vehicle and the suspect displayed a handgun. An Adam Mullins then entered the vehicle from the passenger side in an attempt to subdue the suspect. Mullins was stabbed and the suspect attempted to flee, backing over Hale’s leg. The suspect then put the vehicle in drive and ran over Hale a second time.

The suspect, identified as Paras Ramanbhai Patel, 32, 89 Jacob’s Crossing, Apt. 204, returned to the scene and told police that a group of men outside the bar made comments about his ethnicity and then followed him to his vehicle where they started beating on the car with their fists.

Someone in the group of seven opened his doors and Patel said he was punched in the face. Patel said it was then that he pulled out a handgun because of his fear for his safety. Patel said he was then choked at which time he pulled out a knife and stabbed the man who was choking him.

Patel said he was punched in the face again and stabbed that person. He then started his vehicle and left the scene, telling officers he believed he had run over someone as he fled.

Sgt. Chris Kendrick, Det. Bill Padgett and Maj. Mark Rosser all responded to the scene and took over the investigation.

Patel’s vehicle was seized and take to the city impound lot to be processed and detectives this week were waiting to view a surveillance video of the parking lot.

Investigation is on-going and charges may be pending.

Paras was earlier held for firing a shot at a fleeing shoplifter

In November 2011, Paras had fired a shot at a fleeing shoplifter and he was charged by the Crossville Police Department with reckless endangerment.

Paras faced the single count following an investigation into his confrontation with someone stealing from the store where he is employed.

The incident took place at the Elmore Rd. Shell around 1:15 a.m, according to Ptl. Terry Graham’s report. At that time police were dispatched to the scene on a report of vandalism being done, but while en route, officers were notified that shots had been fired.

When Graham arrived on the scene, he was met by a male and female employee of the store who told them that they had observed a man concealing items in his clothing. The male confronted the man and tried to block his exit from the store but was pushed out of the way.

The man fled to a 2001 Dodge Neon followed by the two employees. The female employee attempted to stand in front of the vehicle to keep the an from leaving, but the man drove around her and fled on Hwy. 70 W.

At that time, the male employee told police he fired a shot at the suspect’s car.

Police were able to locate a suspect in the theft and learned the car had been borrowed from the suspect’s girlfriend. They found a bullet hole in the bumper area of the vehicle.

Patel was arrested at the Shell station on Hwy. 127 N. A Sig Sauer .45 caliber handgun, the same one believed used in the shooting incident, was seized when Patel was arrested, according to Ptl. Donathan Johnson’s report.