A Carter County man faces an attempted murder charge after deputies say he attempted to strike an officer with a vehicle during a brief police pursuit over the weekend.

Deputies of the Carter County Sheriff’s Office arrested Joshua Adam Tester, 35, 131 Pleasant Beach Road, Elizabethton, Saturday and charged him with attempted second-degree murder, resisting arrest, possession of Schedule II drugs (methamphetamine), possession of Schedule III drugs, felony evading arrest while operating a motor vehicle, and third offense driving on a revoked license.

According to court documents, on Saturday CCSO Deputy Thomas Hill and Deputy Justin Johnson conducted a traffic stop on a white Subaru being driven by Tester. Hill said he recognized Tester and knew Tester’s driver’s license had been revoked.

“Mr. Tester then pulled off into an abandoned convenience store parking lot,” Hill said. “Upon him stopping he exited the vehicle and said ‘Don’t do this to me, please don’t. I just about have my license back.’”

Hill said he advised Tester to remain still but Tester got back into his vehicle and fled the scene. Hill said he pursued Tester onto North Lynn Avenue when Tester turned and pulled back into the parking lot and then drove around an abandoned car wash.

“He pulled back into the parking lot and stopped again. I then gave him the commands to turn off his vehicle and put his hands on the ceiling,” Hill said, adding he blocked one of the parking lot exits with his cruiser.

At that time, Hill said Tester pulled away to the other parking lot exit and made another loop around North Lynn Avenue and the parking lot. Tester then attempted to leave the parking lot a third time, according to Hill but the deputy said he again blocked one of the parking lot exits and ordered Tester to stop the car.

“Deputy (Christian) Carrier then arrived on scene and approached the vehicle with Deputy Johnson,” Hill said. “At that time, Mr. Tester accelerated the vehicle and attempted to strike Deputy Carrier as he left the parking lot back onto North Lynn.”

“Deputy (Robert) Hughes arrived on scene as this took place and attempted a PIT maneuver to stop the vehicle,” Hill continued. “Mr. Tester then accelerated again and almost struck Deputy Carrier as he drove around the parking lot toward the car wash.”

Hughes pursued Tester while Tester got back into his cruiser along with Johnson. Hill said he caught back up with Hughes at the intersection of North Roan Street and West Mill Street where Hughes and officers of the Elizabethton Police Department were attempting to place Tester into handcuffs.

“He was resisting them by attempting to kick and hit officers,” Hill said.

After Tester was placed under arrest, Hill said Tester told officers he had methamphetamine and needles in his vehicle. Hill said during a search, officers found two syringes, one of which was filled with a liquid that field tested positive for methamphetamine. Deputies also found some prescription pills in the vehicle according to Hill.