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Mark Harden, Tennessee man arrested after SWAT standoff at motel, allegedly lit woman on fire
Court records revealed chilling details about Mark A. Harden, 33, who was arrested following a SWAT standoff at a Kodak motel.
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Court records revealed chilling details about a man who was arrested following a SWAT standoff at a Kodak motel. Mark A. Harden, 33, allegedly threatened to kill a woman in Sevier County, Tennessee on Thursday, and is accused of lighting her on fire using gasoline, according to an affidavit of complaint. The woman suffered burns before she managed to put out the flames.
According to the records, when the woman tried to run, Harden put her into a chokehold before dragging her into a house. He allegedly stole a vehicle after the woman managed to escape.
Records say that the woman told officers that he poured a can of gasoline on her, shoved her on a couch and grabbed a lighter, according to WVLT. She alleged that Harden lit her face on fire, which she put out by running sink water over herself.
The woman eventually managed to run from the house and get help from nearby. She was rushed to the University of Tennessee Medical Center with first- and second-degree burns, records show.
Harden is charged with especially aggravated kidnapping, aggravated domestic assault and theft of a vehicle.
How Mark Harden was arrested
Harden was found by the Sevierville Police at the Smokies Motel just after midnight on Friday. He barricaded himself inside when police tried to contact him.
The Sevierville Police Department's SWAT team, crisis negotiators and a police K-9 responded, and negotiators attempted to communicate with him. However, he refused to comply.
The SWAT team used a tactical drone to enter the room to try and locate Harden, and talk to him. They ultimately used chemical agents and a K-9.
“When officers attempted to make contact, the suspect refused to exit the room and barricaded himself inside,” Public Information Officer Bob Stahlke said, per WVLT. “Due to the severity of the charges, and the potential that the suspect was armed, the SPD SWAT team, along with crisis negotiators and a police K9, were activated and deployed to the location.”
Harden was located by police under a mattress and pile of clothes, a city spokesperson said, per WATE Knoxville. The standoff lasted around three hours. He was treated at the scene for minor injuries and then taken to a hospital.
As of 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 20, Sevier County Jail records say that Harden is being held on a $350,000 bond.
