February 6, 2002

Robbery

   * Two men suspected of robbing Piney Flats Drug Center Monday afternoon were arraigned Tuesday in Blountville and were being held in Sullivan County Jail under $150,000 bond each. Jeffery W. Owens, 35, Sundance Drive, Bristol, and Benjamin Harold James Hall, 20, 215 Kingston Road, Blountville, will appear in court again April 6, at which time a court date will be set. Washington County has holds on both subjects due to charges from their jurisdiction, while a hold was placed on Owens by Bristol, Va., authorities. Both men were charged with aggravated robbery by Bluff City Police Department after they held clerks at gunpoint and demanded drugs, including the controversial painkiller, OxyContin. The men were apprehended on Volunteer Parkway following an hour-long pursuit by officers of Bluff City Police Department, Washington County Sheriff's Department, Sullivan County Sheriff's Office, Tennessee Highway Patrol and Bristol Police Department.

Pursuit

   * An Elizabethton man is facing a variety of charges after he led Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Dexter Lunceford in a pursuit Monday evening on Highway 91. Joseph R. Whitehead, 33, 2451 Hwy. 91, was observed traveling 62 mph in a 40 mph zone near Earl Williams Road. The officer attempted to stop the vehicle, however, the driver -- later identified as Whitehead -- continued on at speeds up to 70 mph. At Grindstaff Hollow, he nearly struck a Carter County Sheriff's Department cruiser. He then traveled about a mile up Blevins Hollow Road and slid to a stop. Leaving his car running and in gear, Whitehead jumped out of the 1987 Subaru and fled into a wooded area. The Subaru then rolled backward into Trooper Lunceford's cruiser. Members of Carter County Sheriff's Department, including Deputy Sarah Ryan and K9 Sgt. Kabor, joined in the search for Whitehead but were unable to locate him. Whitehead turned himself in Tuesday at the sheriff's department. He was charged with speeding, failure to provide proof of financial responsibility, violation of registration, felony evading arrest, felony reckless endangerment and fourth-offense driving on revoked license.

Arrests

   * Christopher Aaron Campbell, 22, 1301 Seminole Drive, Apt. 43, Johnson City, was arrested Monday by agents of the First Judicial District Drug Task Force after members of Elizabethton Police Department conducted a buy-bust operation in the parking lot of the Coastal Mart on Milligan Highway. Campbell sold 56 grams of marijuana to an undercover operative and about 5 grams of marijuana was found on his person following a search incident to arrest, according to the report. He also had a set of scales on him and marked money used to make the transaction was found in his left front jacket pocket. Campbell was charged with sale of Schedule VI, possession of Schedule VI and possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond was set at $7,000.
   * Freddie Lee Charlton, 40, 1275 Bluefield Ave., H-4, was arrested Tuesday by agents of the First Judicial District Drug Task Force and members of Carter County Sheriff's Department after they executed warrants for sale of Schedule I and two counts sale of Schedule II. The warrants stemmed from an undercover investigation during which an operative purchased heroin, methamphetamine and morphine. Agents used both audio and video surveillance to monitor the transaction. Charlton's bond was set at $100,000.
   * Michelle D. Jordan, 32, 249 Gray Station Road, Apt. 80, Gray, was arrested Monday by officers of Johnson City Police Bureau after they were called to Mooney's Pharmacy, 1107 N. Roan St., Johnson City, on a possible prescription forgery. Jordan was apprehended during a traffic stop and was charged with forgery of a prescription, DUI, and driving on revoked license.

Fire

   * CCSD Deputy Dean Jones responded Monday to a structure fire at 203 H. Heaton Road. Dolphine Robinson, owner of the residence, told the officer that she stays with her children at the residence next door and only frequents the house occasionally since her husband passed away. Robinson said the electricity and oil furnace were on so the pipes wouldn't freeze. Fire was located in the upstairs portion of the home when firefighters from Hampton and Stoney Creek Volunteer Fire Departments arrived. Cause of the fire was undetermined at the time of the report.