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Man wanted for questioning in Smokin Thighs hit and run taken into custody

Man wanted for questioning in Smokin Thighs hit and run last seen in Chattanooga
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — It's been almost a month since Smokin Thighs owner 42-year-old Matthew Carney was hit and killed in the parking lot of his own business.

We told you last week that Metro Police person of interest in the case. He has since been taken into custody.

Carney was hit in the parking lot of his business on June 19th and died from his injuries July 4th. Martinez was spotted in Chattanooga this week.

The Tennessee Highway patrol says since the sighting troopers have been actively searching for Martinez for eluding law enforcement.

"We have my drone unit, my canine, my tactical unit, as well as other resources from other agencies. So we're deploying a tremendous amount of resources on the ground to find this person."

Before the sighting in Chattanooga, he led metro police on a chase that ended in Williamson County. Two other people he was with were caught, but he was not. The two were charged with evading arrests and other charges. Call crime stoppers if you know anything.

Carrie: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/2e/72/be0f23854c54a228c9d6138c9847/carrie-recommends-header.png

Rhori: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/5b/25/a224d13d47739165c92b94e643db/rhori-recommends-header.png

Eugene: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/7b/09/9eaf788d46f580c4234978610d60/screenshot-2026-04-29-at-12-11-52-pm.png

Lelan: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/af/54/833bf879454097a398bd44f723de/lelan-recommends.png

Nikki-Dee: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/e1/b4/685a931d4182b82d9322d496fa15/screenshot-2026-04-15-at-12-01-18-pm.png

Henry: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/f7/31/2e3894bf45d9a1668f1ccc56b9f6/screenshot-2026-04-15-at-12-01-00-pm.png

Katie: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/77/55/afe9375249a4b9e058e4b2c3d2ea/screenshot-2026-04-15-at-12-00-46-pm.png

Brittany: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/67/90/788e5c364f00baabf9c5edae87e2/screenshot-2026-04-15-at-12-00-06-pm.png

Jennifer: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/e4/1e/9771c0824888a0fd87b2a1030979/screenshot-2026-04-15-at-12-02-19-pm.png

The skies were closed on 9/11. A Nashville phone call helped save a baby’s life

September 11, 2001 is a day most associate with terror and tragedy. Austin Pollack shares a story from that day about hope and persistence: the effort to save a little girl’s life – with an organ donation. The problem? The young patient was in Houston, and her life-saving liver here in Nashville. With the grounding of all civilian aircraft, how could it be done? “Nobody ever said this isn’t possible.”

- Rhori Johnston