Two men were killed and a third injured this morning as they fled in a pickup truck from a Loudon police officer.

The crash occurred about 1:20 a.m. on Highway 72 in Loudon County about a half mile outside the city limits, according to Loudon Police Chief James "Bear" Webb.

"The people our officer was chasing were suspects in a burglary," Webb said this morning.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating the crash that occurred a couple hundred yards from the intersection with Prospect Church Road. The crash occurred on a curve where the lanes of Highway 72 narrow significantly.

A report filed this morning by Highway Patrol Trooper Rodney Best identified the driver of a 2000 Chevrolet S14 pickup truck as Timothy Hardwick, 45, of Knoxville.

Hardwick was fleeing west on Highway 72 when he lost control and the truck left the right side of the road. The truck overturned down an embankment on the left side of the road, Best wrote.

Hardwick was not using a seat belt and died after the crash.

Also killed in the crash was Travis Lay, 32, of Alcoa, according to Best. Lay was not using a seat belt.

Passenger Johnathan Monday, 34, of Oak Ridge, was injured in the crash. He was taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center where his condition was not immediately available. Monday was not using a seat belt during the crash, Best noted.

Webb said his officers had been looking for a Chevrolet S10 pickup truck believed connected to recent early morning burglaries at Good Fellas Tobacco and Beer Outlet, 1562 Highway 72, and a Jiffy market in the city.

When another alarm sounded this morning at Good Fellas, Loudon police officer Jonathan Yates circulated through the area and saw the Chevrolet truck, Webb said.

Webb was not in his office and did not have access to written reports, but he said he thinks Yates would have chased the truck less than three miles before it crashed.

Yates' cruiser is equipped with a video camera, so the chase and subsequent chase might be recorded, the chief said.

Yates was not injured in the incident.

The Highway Patrol has not released information concerning the crash.

Loudon fatal chase suspects have long criminal records

WBIR.com-The three men who Loudon police chased Tuesday morning have been convicted on numerous charges in Knox County, according to Knox County Sheriff's Office documents.

Driver Timothy Hardwick of Knoxville died in the crash. Hardwick's criminal history record shows he was convicted on more than 20 charges in Knox County. Seven convictions were burglary or theft related.

Passenger Travis Lay from Alcoa also died from his injuries. He had been convicted on five charges in Knox County. Rape and burglary were two of those convictions.

Passenger Johnathan Monday of Oak Ridge is in stable condition. He has been convicted on more than 10 charges in Knox County. Most of the convictions were connected to shoplifting or burglary.

The Loudon Police Department said charges are not pending in the case.

An official with the department told 10News their officers followed proper chase protocol.

Two killed in Loudon crash following police chase

LOUDON (WATE) - Two men were killed and another was injured early Tuesday morning after a high speed chase with Loudon police.

Loudon police say the men were suspects in a convenience store robbery earlier in the evening.

The chase ended just after 1:00 a.m. when the suspects' pickup truck crashed on Highway 72 near Prospect Church Road. The Tennessee Highway Patrol says the driver lost control before the vehicle went off the road and rolled down an embankment.

The driver, Timothy Hardwick, 45, of Knoxville, and a passenger, Travis Lay, 32, of Alcoa, died at the scene of the wreck.

A second passenger, Johnathan Monday, 34, of Oak Ridge, was injured.

The chase started when Loudon police responded to a burglar alarm at Goodfellas Market on Highway 72. Officers recognized the Chevy pickup from two other robberies Sunday.

Jay Alawadi is restocking his shelves and having his businesses's door repaired. It's been robbed twice since Sunday.

"Sunday morning we received some calls on a couple of smash and grab burglaries to a couple of businesses here in town," said Loudon Police Sgt. Scott Newman. "During the course of that investigation, it was determined that we were looking for a small pickup truck that matched the description of the subjects this morning."

Officers tried to stop the vehicle Tuesday morning, but Hardwick didn't stop.

"The subjects fled and there was a small chase - approximately two miles - at that time, and then there was an accident," added Sgt. Newman.

That's when Hardwick and Lay were killed as the Chevy pickup overturned and rolled down an embankment. The other passenger, Johnathan Monday, was injured.

According to the Loudon Police Department's pursuit policy, the officers played by the rules.

"It pertains to the traffic, the speeds of the vehicle, and the offense that the suspects had made, and our officers followed that policy to a T," added Sgt. Newman.

The store owner who has lost thousands as a result of these crimes says he doesn't know how to feel.

"I don't really know what to think. I'm sad for the people who don't have anything to do with it - their kinfolks," added Alawadi.

The survivor of the crash, Johnathan Monday, is listed in stable condition at UT Medical Center.

The owner of Goodfellas says he does plan on filing charges.

The Knox County Sheriff's Office says Hardwick had an extensive criminal history dating back to at least 1987, including charges of burglary, theft, forgery, drug possession, and shoplifting. Lay and Monday also have extensive records in Knox County.

Loudon crash during police chase kills two, injures one

Loudon fatal chase suspects have long criminal records