Based on a recommendation from the Knox County District Attorney’s Office, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office will not charge a trucker accused of shooting a man who attempted to break into his semi-tractor trailer.  Sixty-eight year old Richard Vance Allen of North Carolina shot and killed 34 year old James Edward Hodges, Jr. of Loudon on March 11th.  According to the report, Allen said that Hodges had attempted to break into his truck three different times within a 45 minute time span while he was parked at 10720 Lexington Drive.  The first time, the suspect knocked on the door, then came back and threw a large rock through the window and then tried to enter the truck through the broken window.

That’s when Allen said he shot Hodges in the chest with a handgun that he carried for protection.  Hodges died at the scene.  A female family member admitted to driving Hodges to the truck and told detectives that Hodges was intending to burglarize it.

Allen works for Landair Trucking.  He was treated and released from a local hospital for chest pains after the incident.