Charles R. Kelley, Wanted For Murder In Tennessee, Arrested After Hitchhiking To New Jersey

When Manuel Velasco offered a hitchhiker a lift in his truck, he never guessed he'd be moving such dangerous cargo.

On Thursday night, Velasco learned -- after a multi-state journey -- that the man he drove from the south to New York City was wanted in Tennessee for murder, the Knoxville News Sentinel reports.

Authorities arrested Charles R. Kelley, 52, when Velasco allegedly attempted to bypass a toll on his way over the George Washington Bridge into Manhattan.

Kelley met Velasco one week ago at a gas station off of Interstate 81 in Tennessee, according to the Associated Press.

Kelley is charged with the May 21 murder of Johnny Arwood, 47, found dead on his living room couch, according to the News Sentinel. Kelley is also wanted for forgery and theft.

The Long Island truck driver said Kelley was a perfectly kind guest. He even took him on deliveries and to his home

“I’m not mad at him,” Velasco told the New York Daily News. “He was always respectful. He didn’t even change the radio.”