KPD e-News Release: Four Arrested After Using a Firearm in an Attempt to Lay Claim to Vehicle

	Kingsport Police Department 200 Shelby Street • Kingsport, TN 37660 ThomasMPatton • 423-229-9433 (Desk) • 423-224-2786 (FAX) http://Police.KingsportTN.gov • www.KingsportPDBlog.com
NEWS RELEASE
SUBJECT:		Four Arrested After Using a Firearm in an Attempt to Lay Claim to Vehicle
DATE:		October 9, 2014

GENERAL NARRATIVE

On October 8, 2014 at approximately 11:30 AM, Kingsport Police Patrol Officers responded to an apartment complex on Chadwick Drive in Kingsport to investigate a report of a man with a gun. Witnesses told Central Dispatch that four individuals were involved, and they were preparing to leave in a blue Buick that was still parked in front of the apartment.

Upon arrival, an officer observed the four suspects in question standing around the described vehicle. Upon spotting the officer, one of the suspects, later identified as Austin Deyton, began walking away. The officer observed Austin to have a handgun in his right hand and ordered him to drop the gun and lay prone on the ground. Backup officers soon arrived, and all four suspects were taken into custody.

Further investigation revealed the following:

James Whitson, Tammy Deyton, Austin Deyton, and Jeffrey Deyton came to an apartment at this location in an attempt to lay claim to a vehicle. Apparently, Austin Deyton and the resident’s daughter were in a relationship, and Austin claimed that she and he co-owned the vehicle. Austin had called this residence and left voicemails announcing that he was coming to the residence to get the vehicle and threatening violence with a gun.

James Whitson went to the door of the apartment and knocked. When the resident answered the door, Whitson pointed a handgun at him, called him a racial slur, and demanded the keys to the vehicle. The resident slammed the door and ran upstairs to call 9-1-1.

Tammy Deyton then went to the door of the apartment and knocked. This time, the resident’s other daughter, thinking it was the police knocking, answered the door. As she opened the door, Tammy Deyton demanded the keys to the vehicle, threatened to physically assault her, and attempted to force her way into the apartment, but the resident’s daughter was able to prevent her entry and get the door closed.

As the police arrived, James Whitson gave the gun to Austin Deyton, who was walking away in an attempt to hide the gun when he was ordered to stop. Jeffrey Deyton had no involvement in this incident other than riding in the car with the other three suspects; however, he appeared extremely intoxicated and could barely stand under his own power.

All four suspects were arrested, charged with a variety of criminal offenses, and transported to the Kingsport City Jail. James Whitson was charged with Aggravated Robbery, Tammy Deyton was charged with Aggravated Burglary, Austin Deyton was charged with being an Accessory to Aggravated Burglary After the Fact, and Jeffrey Deyton was charged with Public Intoxication.

SUSPECT INFORMATION
Name	James Harley Whitson
Age	Date of Birth 5/8/1967 47 Years of Age
Race/Gender	White/Male
Residency	44 Longview Road Burnsville, NC
Charge(s)	Aggravated Robbery

SUSPECT INFORMATION
Name	Tammy Sue Deyton
Age	Date of Birth 6/26/1970 44 Years of Age
Race/Gender	White/Female
Residency	44 Longview Road Burnsville, NC
Charge(s)	Aggravated Burglary

SUSPECT INFORMATION
Name	Austin H. Deyton
Age	Date of Birth 5/11/1992 22 Years of Age
Race/Gender	White/Male
Residency	44 Longview Road Burnsville, NC
Charge(s)	Aggravated Burglary (Accessory After the Fact)

SUSPECT INFORMATION
Name	Jeffrey Charles Deyton
Age	Date of Birth 7/2/1968 46 Years of Age
Race/Gender	White/Male
Residency	44 Longview Road Burnsville, NC
Charge(s)	Public Intoxication