Sanders still on lamb

By Lesley Jenkins
star staff
ljenkins@starhq.com

   More reports have been filed at the Carter County Sheriff's Department and Elizabethton Police Department concerning Carroll Carson Sanders, who was arrested for two counts of theft over $10,000 from his customers at East Tennessee Motor Sports.
   Sanders was arrested on Jan. 9 and posted a $10,000 corporate bond the following day. Authorities are still searching for him to serve the additional charges of theft over $10,000 and one count of theft over $1,000.
   Authorities with the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Carter County Sheriff's Department, and the Elizabethton Police Department have been looking for Sanders, whom they believe left his home, 525 Golf Course Drive, and his business after posting bail.
   He is reported to have fraudulently schemed customers from his two business locations at 1510 Stateline Rd. and 238 East Elk Ave.
   More incident reports have been filed the past few days, including one filed by WBEJ Radio Station, 626-1/2 Elk Ave. Cleo Reed, general manager, and Hobart Hyder, accounts manager, claim Sanders paid for advertising with a bad check.
   EPD Sergeant Jack Ramsey said in a police report, "They advised me that on Dec. 7, 2003, Hyder had received a check from Sanders for advertising that the station had done for his business, East Tennessee Motor Sports. The account was in the name of Beth McMahan (Sander's significant other) and was drawn on Bank One, N. A. in Tuscon, Arizona ... The check was in the amount of $875. The check was returned to WBEJ on Jan. 20, 2004, marked NSF-Account Closed. Hyder and Reed advised that Sanders had made all of his prior payments with cash. Reed advised that she had attempted to contact Sanders with regard to the check via registered mail and his cellular telephone without success."
   James L. Brockwell also filed a report related to Sanders and Pennington Auto Sales. On Sept. 15, 2003, Brockwell planned to buy a 2003 Chevrolet Malibu from Kenny Pennington at Pennington Auto Sales. Pennington was buying the automobile from Sanders through e-Bay.
   According to the incident report, "The victim paid Pennington $5,000 with a check for down payment on the 2003 Malibu. The Malibu was to be given to the victim in three weeks and that is when the remaining $5,363.21 was to be paid." As of Jan. 16, the victim had not received the vehicle and his $5,000 was not returned.
   Pennington was notified Jan. 16 by Tennessee Highway Patrol Special Agent Dan Bowman. Pennington said he would refund the $5,000 if no charges would be placed, but could only pay by check.
   Another complaint was filed by Donald Ellison who alleges Sanders was scheduled to work on the brakes of his motor home during August 2003. When Ellison picked up the vehicle after the service work, he realized it had been involved in an accident that left the bumper damaged.
   According to the report, Sanders admitted his "son had backed the motor home into something." Sanders agreed to pay for the damage which was estimated at $450, but has not done so.
   Because reports keep filing in to respective authorities, a total amount of how much Sanders has allegedly schemed from customers is not available yet.
   Before moving to Tennessee in May 2003, Sanders and his son operated a motor sports business in Arizona, near Tucson. According to Arizona Assistant Attorney General Paul Eckerstrom, Sanders was arrested on May 2, 2003 by the Oro Valley Police Department and charged with three counts of fraudulent schemes, including one count of super fraud, and artifice, Class Two felonies in Arizona.
   The monetary total he allegedly swindled from customers in Arizona has surpassed $1.6 million, according to the Oro Valley Police Department.