Don Jacobs

USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee

CLINTON - Lee Howard Cromwell doesn't believe a state-issued driver's license is valid for traveling on public roads.

The 67-year-old self-proclaimed "sovereign citizen" also doesn't believe attorneys represent the court system, which he considers to be under the domain of maritime law by order of the the 28th Congress in 1845.

But he does appear to believe in the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Cromwell for 30 minutes Wednesday invoked the right against self-incrimination for almost every question posed to him during a deposition at the Anderson County Courthouse.

"He only answered his name, age and address and then he invoked his Fifth Amendment right on every question after that," said Bruce Fox, an attorney representing Michael and Elizabeth Eldridge in a $450,000 civil lawsuit against Cromwell.

"The irony of that is he's a sovereign citizen and the laws don't apply to him, yet there he is using the Fifth Amendment when someone tries to make him accountable," Fox said.

"The tragedy is he killed a man and sent 11 people to a hospital, several of which are children."

Upon completing the fruitless deposition, Fox had a strong impression of Cromwell's attitude about the fatal events in A.K. Bissell Park in Oak Ridge in 2015, when Cromwell plowed his truck into a crowd of people gathered to watch July 4 fireworks.

"I don't think this man has any remorse," Fox said.

Cromwell in February was one of 11 people indicted by a Davidson County grand jury on felony charges of forgery and filing false liens against public officials. Sovereign citizen adherents in East Tennessee had been filing multimillion-dollar liens against the personal property of public officials at the Tennessee Secretary of State's website.

► Related: Records: Bogus liens by East Tenn. 'sovereign citizens' topped $2B

Cromwell faces 28 charges of forgery and filing false liens. Liens he filed against Anderson County Criminal Court Judge Don Elledge last year prompted the judge to recuse himself from Cromwell's civil and criminal cases.

Four lawsuits had been filed against Cromwell in connection with the 2015 rampage in the parking lot of the Midtown Community Center.

Bo Reed, who was retained by Cromwell's car insurance provider to represent him, said two lawsuits have been tentatively settled, and a suit filed by Julia Robinson for the death of her husband and injuries to her children is near resolution. The case still not under discussion for settlement is Fox's case involving the Eldridges.

"They haven't offered me a penny," Fox said.

The Eldridges were sitting on the tailgate of their pickup truck while watching the Independence Day fireworks. When Cromwell's truck shot into reverse through the parking lot when the display ended, theirs was the first vehicle struck.

Fox said the impact tossed Michael Eldridge into the air. Elizabeth Eldridge also was injured, but not as badly as her husband.

"He's walking with a cane now," Fox said. Michael Eldridge gained 80 pounds after his mobility was restricted, and that additional weight "has caused a cascade of other health issues," including diabetes, the attorney said.

Fox, however, said the Eldridges have declined to seek available money through Cromwell's liability insurance. The Oak Ridge couple want Robinson to get any available compensation.

"We agreed the insurance benefits should go to the Robinsons; that's the right thing to do," Fox said.

Julia Robinson filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of her 37-year-old husband, James Robinson. James Robinson died from crushing injuries sustained while shoving his daughter, Jaide, out of the path of the oncoming Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck driven by Cromwell.

The lawsuit included demands for compensation for injuries suffered by Julia Robinson, Jaide Robinson and a second daughter, Jaclynn Robinson. The total sought was $7 million.

► Related: Widow recalls Oak Ridge July 4 rampage

None of the attorneys, however, would discuss amounts. The coverage available through Cromwell's insurance policy is not noted in the various lawsuits.

Some of the settlements are based on the victims' insurance providers paying on the uninsured or underinsured coverage of their policies. Reed said after the victims' insurance companies pay the victims, the companies then sue Cromwell's insurance provider and Cromwell to recover the money, if any is available.

Cromwell was attired in a red Anderson County Jail jumpsuit and shackled at the ankles and wrists with a chain around his waist while seated in the criminal court room. Fox said Cromwell stoically recited the Fifth Amendment instruction provided by Reed, with one exception.

"I asked him if he was a racist," Fox said, "and he gave me an angry look and a very tense recitation of his Fifth Amendment right."

Fox posed the question because Cromwell injured an African-American woman and her four children in the 10:30 p.m. incident. Janica Henderson filed a lawsuit on behalf of herself and her four children, Ja'Tallis Henderson, La'Rius Henderson, Ja'Shalin Porter and La'Miere Porter.

Eighth Judicial District Circuit Court Judge John D. McAfee, who was appointed to hear the cases, has sealed portions of that lawsuit from public view because of the juveniles. Reed said that case and one filed by Jermaine Henderson, who was injured when a vehicle slammed against his, have been settled, but court orders acknowledging the resolutions have not been issued.

The available portions of the file state that Janica Henderson was placing the children in child car carrier seats in a 2007 Honda CRV when Cromwell's truck slammed into her SUV. Because she had not yet secured the children in the safety seats, they were tossed around inside the vehicle, banging into each other and the interior of the SUV, according to the lawsuit.

Fox said he had reports Cromwell had been watching Henderson's children playing after parking at the community center before the show began. About 200 people and their vehicles filled the parking lot.

Cromwell in a 27-page manifesto filed May 2, 2016, in response to the Eldridges' lawsuit, outlined his version of events at the community center parking lot. The document includes 219 numbered points about events that occurred from the time he arrived at the community center until his release July 28, 2015, from jail on $100,000 bond.

This was the only response Cromwell filed in any of the four civil suits. He did not testify at his criminal trial.

Cromwell's missive also notes the indignity of being "gawked at" by a man while changing into jail attire and how lunch consisted of peanut butter so thick on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that it choked him. He deemed the entire jail experience as "very nerve-racking (sic)."

The manifesto continues for another eight pages explaining why attorneys have no authority and how summonses to court erroneously used the phrase "you are." That could explain why Cromwell refused service of nearly every court summons delivered to him by an Anderson County sheriff's officer. Officers wrote on most summonses that Cromwell "told me to throw it on the floor."

Cromwell's manifesto included several principles commonly held by sovereign citizens, including why law enforcement officers have no authority over a person, but an obligation to assure people — because everyone is a sovereign citizen — are not bothered by police. He noted the government is restricted to using only gold for debts and should not be using paper money.

In another court record, Cromwell noted he had "terminated his (Social Security) benefits." The manifesto addresses issues with a government-run social security program.

He also explained why he carries a 4-page "constructive notice" as opposed to a driver's license. The notice outlines a multitude of U.S. Supreme Court rulings interpreted as forbidding states from issuing driving licenses.

Cromwell devoted the final pages of the manifesto to outlining why either Fox or the Eldridges owe him $5 million in damages because of various infringements on his rights.

Cromwell said he arrived about 10 minutes before the fireworks display started, and another attendee told him he was rude because where Cromwell parked would hinder people leaving.

He claimed to have stayed in his truck in order to leave quickly at the conclusion of the event so he wouldn't block traffic. But he also missed the exploding display because of the restricted view from the cab of his truck. When leaving, he said he was aware of the nearby children and slowly backed up for 70-75 feet when suddenly the truck violently jerked backward "at full speed." He stated he had no control of the truck.

Cromwell said he was battered and shocked by the truck's impact with other vehicles. The truck came to a stop only when he slammed both feet onto the brake pedal, he stated.

His version of events did not address witnesses' statements and police reports that he "looked around at the crowd that was telling him to stop, and then continued in reverse at a high rate of speed" after the initial impacts. Police records state Cromwell's truck "continued in reverse, causing damage to six other vehicles before coming to a stop."

Cromwell stayed in the truck until Oak Ridge Police Department Officer Ben Higgins arrived. Cromwell said he produced his expired TVA identification card and the "constructive notice" when asked for his driver's license.

Higgins asked Cromwell if he was a sovereign citizen. Cromwell noted he found the question unusual because Higgins should have known the answer would be affirmative.

While being questioned by Higgins about his physical condition, Cromwell said his wife called to check on his welfare because of the growing chorus of emergency sirens in the park. Cromwell's tome noted he told her he had been in a "tragic accident" and didn't learn for hours later the extent of the damage.

Records show police alleged Cromwell used "his vehicle as a deadly weapon." Cromwell at first told Higgins he would not give a statement, but then said "his vehicle's throttle stuck and that he simply lost control of his vehicle."

A Dodge dealership examined the truck and concluded "the throttle had not malfunctioned." In his manifesto, Cromwell argued the dealership had incentive to falsify its findings because the business could be accused of contributing to the death and injuries.

Police on July 22, 2015, charged Cromwell with vehicular homicide and a dozen counts of aggravated assault. A jury on Feb. 15 convicted him of one count of vehicular homicide and eight counts of aggravated assault.

Cromwell had been free on $100,000 bond from July 28, 2015, until the jury reached a verdict after a three-day trial. Senior Judge Paul Summers, who had been appointed to hear the case, ordered Cromwell jailed after the verdict was read. Summers told Cromwell he was a dangerous man, showed no remorse and was a flight risk.

Cromwell was scheduled Tuesday to be sentenced, but relations between Cromwell and his attorney James K. Scott had deteriorated to the point Scott asked to withdraw from the case. Summers appointed the public defender's office to represent Cromwell.

The public defender's office is expected to take 30 to 60 days to read all available court transcripts to prepare to represent Cromwell during a future sentence hearing.

Officers transported Cromwell back to Davidson County on Wednesday for a Thursday criminal court hearing on the forgery and false lien indictments.

For now, Cromwell's next scheduled hearing in Anderson County is Oct. 25 for a jury to hear the Eldridges' civil case. Reed said he anticipates an out-of-court settlement on that case.

Fox is not so sure. He is deeply concerned about Cromwell's apparent lack of remorse.

"I'd like to try him," Fox said. "My clients would like to have a judgment against this man.

"Any remorse is just not there. He didn't call any of these victims afterward. He just didn't care."