A Carter County man and woman face multiple charges after police say they found the pair in possession of drugs after they attempted to flee from officers during a pursuit.
Deputies of the Carter County Sheriff’s Office arrested Eligha Hampton, 21, and Pamela Carden, 18, both of 149 Estep Hollow Road, Elizabethton, on Saturday night. Deputies charged Hampton with possession of Schedule II drugs for resale, possession of Schedule II drugs, felony evading arrest, possession of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, reckless endangerment, and speeding. Deputies charged Carden with possession of Schedule II drugs for resale.
According to police reports, CCSO Deputy Robert Hughes was on patrol on Highway 91 in Stoney Creek around 11 p.m. Saturday when he saw a white Dodge Dakota traveling at a high rate of speed. Hughes said he checked the vehicle with his radar equipment, which showed the truck was driving 56 miles per hour in a 40 m.p.h. zone.
Hughes said he turned his police cruiser around to try to stop the truck, but when he activated his emergency lights, the vehicle accelerated in an attempt to avoid the traffic stop.
“After a short distance and the vehicle showing no intention of stopping, I initiated a precision immobilization technique on the vehicle,” Hughes said. “I exited my vehicle to take the driver into custody, at which time the driver began spinning his back wheels and going in reverse. The driver was able to make his way back to the roadway and continued traveling toward Johnson County.”
“I resumed pursuit of the vehicle for several miles until the driver lost control of the vehicle and ran into a ditch,” Hughes added.
Hughes ordered the driver, later identified as Hampton, and passenger, later identified as Carden, out of the truck. Officers secured Hampton and Carden inside two police cruisers.
When Hughes looked into the truck for any more potential passengers, he said he saw an open black storage container and a clear plastic storage container that appeared to have methamphetamine and cocaine inside. Hughes said officers also found a receipt book, several small empty baggies and other items of drug paraphernalia. According to Hughes, Hampton told officers the container and the items inside belonged to him.
“At this time, a search of the vehicle also yielded a loaded .32 caliber ‘Astra’ brand semi-automatic pistol with a round chambered, which was stuck in plain sight in the space between the driver’s seat and center console,” Hughes said. “Mr. Hampton stated that the pistol also belonged to him.”
Hughes said officers also located a small tin containing methamphetamine inside Carden’s purse.
“During the transport, Ms. Carden admitted to Deputy Tylor Johnson that she had a container that she had hidden in her pants that contained methamphetamine.”
Both Hampton and Carden appeared in Carter County General Sessions Court on Monday morning for arraignment.
Judge Keith Bowers Jr. appointed the Public Defender’s Office to represent Carden and scheduled her to return to court on April 3. She remains held at the Carter County Detention Center under an $8,000 bond.
Bowers scheduled Hampton to return to court on April 7 with his attorney. He remains held at the Carter County Detention Center under a $29,000 bond.