That incident landed Jason Chad Elliott, 30, 1290 Milligan Highway, Apt. 3, on probation for six years Friday in Unicoi County Criminal Court and might earn him some jail time. Judge Lynn Brown will make that ruling at a later hearing.

Elliott, who pleaded guilty to felony evading arrest and felony reckless endangerment charges, told Brown that his actions were a “rash decision.” Brown quoted the late Southern columnist Lewis Grizzard about different pronunciations of “naked.” One is not having one’s clothes on. The other is not having clothes “and you’re up to something.”

The July 8 events began about 11:30 p.m. when Trooper Julian Robinson pulled up behind Elliott’s car in the emergency lane on Interstate 26 at Exit 36. Elliott got off I-26 and drove through streets on Erwin’s north side before re-entering the interstate. He did not stop until he reached the Flag Pond exit 13 miles later.

Elliott admitted during the hearing that he drove 130 mph and passed two cars by using the emergency lane on the right. Unicoi County Sheriff’s Deputy Todd Wilcox, who joined the pursuit, said Elliott drove 98 mph in the emergency lane. Elliott got off I-26 at Exit 43 but immediately returned to the interstate.

In July, Sheriff Kent Harris said Wilcox expected Elliott to emerge from the car in Flag Pond with a gun. Instead, he was in the buff. Harris said Wilcox ordered Elliott to the ground but the man jumped off the side of a bank into brush.

Wilcox was ready to run after Elliott but heard a crying 15-year-old girl, who was a passenger in the car. He stayed with her until Robinson arrived, and then went searching for Elliott. With help from K-9 Officer Stacy Wigand and Sgt. Gary, a K-9, Wilcox found him.

Harris said the girl, who was wearing only a shirt, told the sheriff’s department that she and Elliott had engaged in sex. Defense attorney David Crockett said the incident between Elliott and the girl was a “one night stand.”

Elliott pleaded guilty in November in Unicoi County Sessions Court to contributing to the delinquency of a minor and was put on probation for 11 months and 29 days. A charge of aggravated statutory rape was dismissed.

The girl, who told the trooper she had been drinking, pleaded guilty in Juvenile Court to underage consumption of alcohol.

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Courtesy By: JohnSonCityPress