A four-year-old girl is in critical condition after being hit by a car in the area of Cedar Lane and Merchants Drive.

At about 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, Knoxville Police Department officers responded to a report that a child was struck by a vehicle in the 100 block of Cedar Lane.

Based on the preliminary investigation, it is believed that the involved driver, 54-year-old Charles Jump, was working for the owner of a nearby food truck when the two got into a verbal argument. As Jump left the parking lot, Jump struck the business owner’s four-year-old daughter while she was playing on the curb. The business owner and Jump then got into a physical altercation, during which time Jump’s vehicle struck several nearby cars.

The girl was transported to UT Medical Center with life-threatening injuries and remains in critical condition.

Jump had an active warrant for domestic assault in Sevier County and was driving on a revoked license. He was arrested on those charges.

Additional charges are possible pending further investigation, which is being led by KPD Violent Crimes detectives.