On 08/30/2022 at approximately 9:20 p.m., officers were dispatched to Miller Mart on Miller Ave. in reference to a homeless male pulling a knife on a customer inside the store. When Officers arrived on scene, employees of the store stated that the male had fled the store and had gone into the woods behind the store where he’d been camping. After checking the area, an officer located Harold Centers standing outside of a tent in the woods behind Miller Mart.  He could see a pocket knife hanging half out of Mr. Centers’ right pocket so he instructed him to empty both of his pockets. After he did so, the officer  instructed Mr. Centers to walk towards him and then detained him with handcuffs for his own safety while investigating the incident.

The officer then advised Mr. Centers of his Miranda Rights who agreed to speak with the officer about the incident.  A total of two knives were retrieved off the ground where the officer had Mr. Centers empty his pockets, one was a red and white pocket knife with a confederate flag and buck head on it which was opened (that had come from his right pocket) and the other was a sheathed hunting knife (from his left pocket). When the officer asked Mr. Centers why the pocket knife was opened, he advised the officer that he always left it open in case of emergencies. Mr. Centers further advised the officer that he’d been inside the store when a male with a blackened eye approached him and got in his face. He stated that he’d just asked the male what had happened to his face when the male told him it was none of his business and got in his face and started arguing with him. He further advised the officer that he had put his hand in his right pocket and grabbed the knife but had never pulled it. As he continued to tell the officer about the incident, he added that he had partially drawn the knife but that it had never left his pocket completely.

The officer transported Mr. Centers back to the Miller Mart so that he could review security camera footage.  While the officer was waiting for the store’s owner to pull up the camera footage, multiple employees advised him that they’d heard Mr. Centers threatening to beat up the man with the black eye and that he’d stated he’d stab him to death in the parking lot when they left the store. The employees also stated they’d seen a red and white knife in Mr. Centers hand during the incident.

While observing the security camera footage of the incident, the officer observed the man with the black eye standing at the counter speaking with the employees when Mr. Centers approached the counter. The man then can be seen leaning over the counter where an employee is showing him a tattoo on his arm and Mr. Centers appears to become agitated and leans around the man, getting in his face even while he’s leaning over the counter speaking to an employee, and points a finger in his face. Mr. Centers then takes a step back and takes a fighting stance while turning his ballcap around. The man then steps towards Mr. Centers and the two appear to be arguing. Mr. Centers then puts his finger back in the man’s face and the man uses his right hand to push the finger away from his own face. The man can then be seen stepping back and leaning against the counter, continuing to speak with an employee, when Mr. Centers pulls a knife in his right hand and lifts it in a threatening manner. Mr. Centers then puts the knife back in his pocket and aggressively rushes close to the man, who then picks up a bottle of alcohol and leaves the store without paying for the drink. Employees advised that they did not wish to press charges for the theft but that they would like Mr. Centers banned from returning to their property. Mr. Centers was advised he was banned from the property. Mr. Centers knowingly placed a customer of Miller Mart in fear of serious bodily injury or death by displaying a deadly weapon and making threats to kill him.  Mr. Centers was then transported to Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office for booking during which time he continued to make threats to harm the man after he himself was released from jail.

Mr. Centers is being charged with Aggravated Assault. The officer seized the red and white pocket knife and placed it into evidence, the hunting knife which was not used was put into Mr. Centers’ belongings. A video of the security camera footage of the incident was placed into digital evidence. This did occur in Crossville, TN.