Tennessee Deputies Use Drone to Find Suspect in Leaves

A routine traffic stop in Lawrence County, Tennessee quickly escalated when a passenger jumped out of the vehicle and ran before deputies could even reach the window. Law enforcement later identified the man as Joshua Harold Long, 42, a convicted felon already on probation for a 2019 methamphetamine case, as reported by WKRN.

According to Lawrence County Sheriff John Myers, suspects rarely bolt for no reason, and deputies immediately began searching nearby structures, including a garage and an attic. When those efforts came up empty, the search moved into a large wooded area nearby.

Thermal camera reveals what eyes missed

As deputies entered the woods, the Lawrence County Emergency Management Agency launched a drone to assist from above. Standard video footage showed nothing unusual, just a forest floor buried in leaves. At one point, a deputy walked directly past the suspect without realizing it.

That changed once the drone’s FLIR thermal camera was activated. The heat signature of a human body stood out clearly against the cold ground, revealing Long concealed under a pile of leaves. A shoe sticking out helped confirm the location, and deputies quickly moved in.

According to Sheriff Myers, the suspect raised his hands straight up out of the leaves when confronted, bringing the hide and seek session to a quiet end.

Arrest made, meth found nearby

Deputies also located methamphetamine close to where Long was hiding, something the sheriff dryly noted does not simply appear in the woods on its own. After being taken into custody, Long admitted he ran because he hoped to get away.

He was already wanted for a probation violation and now faces additional charges including evading arrest and drug possession. Sheriff Myers publicly thanked the county EMA team for operating the drone, stating the arrest would have taken far longer without it.

DroneXL’s Take

This is another textbook example of how drones with thermal imaging have become force multipliers for law enforcement, especially in wooded or low visibility environments. The technology did not chase, threaten, or escalate the situation.

It simply revealed what human eyes could not see, allowing deputies to resolve the search quickly and without injury. For agencies still debating the value of drones, this pile of leaves tells the whole story.

Photo credit: WKRN