Elizabethton man arrested after celebrating release from jail

By Robert Sorrell

An Elizabethton man found lying in a county roadway over the weekend had reportedly been celebrating his release from the Carter County Jail less than 12 hours earlier.

Dep. Nick Andes of the Carter County Sheriff’s Department said he found James Norman Scott III, 19, of Elizabethton, lying in the roadway on Sally Cove Creek Road in Hampton about 5:45 a.m. Saturday. He was wearing pajama-style pants and no shirt. Andes said he could smell a strong odor of alcohol and the man would not wake up. The deputy managed to wake the subject up and asked him what was wrong.

Scott eventually told Andes he had just recently been released from the Carter County Jail and he had a “getting out” celebration. Andes took Scott into custody and returned him to jail on a public intoxication charge. Nearly three hours later, Andes said he was dispatched to 208 Falls Road in Hampton on the report of a stolen mini-bike. The victim said his son, identified as Scott, took his grandson’s mini-bike without permission.

Andes returned to jail to interview Scott, who confessed that he took the bike because he just wanted to ride it around. Scott reportedly did not return the bike and hid it so it would not be stolen. He was additionally charged with theft under $500.

According to jail records, Scott had been released from jail just after 6 p.m. on Friday. He had been jailed since June 18 following an arrest by the Elizabethton Police Department. Scott was in General Sessions Court on Friday and pleaded guilty to DUI, possession of drug paraphernalia, public intoxication, evading arrest and resisting arrest. Judge John Walton gave Scott credit for time served and ordered him to pay $950 in fines and court costs.

Scott pleaded guilty to charges stemming from three separate incidents in March, May and June. In March, he was arrested for DUI in front of the jail on East Elk Avenue. In May, he was arrested for public intoxication and resisting arrest outside of a downtown Elizabethton bank. Then in June, EPD Cpl. James Deese said he found Scott slumped over in a vehicle at Walmart huffing dust cleaner. Scott allegedly resisted and ran from the officer.

After his June arrest, Judge Walton revoked Scott’s bond and he had remained jailed until his release on Friday.