Missing 15-year-old from Georgia found when man is pulled over on way to Ohio, cops say

When a deputy conducted a traffic stop in Tennessee, he found a missing 15-year-old from Georgia riding as a passenger, authorities said.

The driver he pulled over is now facing charges.

At around 11 p.m. on May 20, a deputy saw a vehicle failing to stay in its lane on Interstate 75 in Philadelphia, Tennessee, and pulled the 19-year-old driver over, according to a news release from the Loudon County Sheriff’s Office.

The deputy learned the passenger had been reported missing that day out of Walton County, Georgia, near the Atlanta area and more than a 180-mile drive to the southeast, according to Chief Deputy Zac Frye.

Deputies said they learned the 19-year-old was bringing the 15-year-old to Ohio.

He’s now charged with harboring or hiding a runaway child, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and violation of alcoholic beverage laws, according to the Loudon County Sheriff’s Office. His attorney information is not available in jail records.

The Georgia teen was released to her parents, deputies said.

Philadelphia, Tennessee, is about a 40-mile drive southwest from Knoxville.

This story was originally published May 22, 2024 at 12:04 PM with the headline "Missing 15-year-old from Georgia found when man is pulled over on way to Ohio, cops say."