Early this morning, Roane County deputies attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a vehicle for a light-law violation on Roane State Highway, across from the co-op. The vehicle failed to stop, turning on Charles Ballew Road and then onto Old Highway 70, driving erratically and failing to maintain a single lane of travel.

A second patrol vehicle joined in the pursuit and both deputies were eventually able to stop the vehicle on the 600 block of Old Highway 70.

With guns drawn, deputies ordered the driver out of the vehicle with his hands up.

The driver, 31-year-old Joe Robert Brown, got out of the vehicle, yelling that he was scared of the police. Brown said he didn’t have a license; dispatch indicated his license was revoked. During a search, deputies found two hypodermic needles in Brown’s pocket. Inside the vehicle, in plain view, they saw a small baggie torn in two, and a white crystalline substance scattered all over the seat and steering wheel.
A closer inspection of Brown revealed a small white crystal rock stuck to his bottom lip and white powder all around his mouth. Brown admitted the substance was meth and he’d tried eating it but couldn’t swallow it.

During the search of the vehicle, deputies found a hypodermic needle and another baggie stuffed inside of an ice-cream jug and a half-gallon milk container.

En route to the Roane County jail, Brown said he did eat some meth and requested medical attention. Brown also said he’d broken his fingers in an earlier incident. Rescue Squad and EMS arrived on scene and took Brown to Roane Medical Center for evaluation. He was treated for two broken fingers, then taken to the Roane County jail without incident. Brown was issued a warning citation for the light law and is charged with simple possession of meth, driving on a revoked license, reckless driving, evading arrest, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and tampering with evidence.