CAMPBELL COUNTY, TN. (WLAF)- James Clifford Thomas, Jr. is facing a myriad of charges but says his memory is blurred regarding his alleged crimes due to the heroin he had used.

Thomas is accused of stealing over $100,000 in commercial phone cable as well as a truck.

His crimes were revealed on April 8, as he sped past the Jellico High School Ballfields while games were in progress, court records said.

The Jellico Police were in pursuit of as the allegedly stolen Ford 150 sped past the crowded games.

Gary Jeffers, fifth district constable, picked up the pursuit on London Ave., where speeds allegedly reached 70mph, records said.

Crossing briefly over the Kentucky state line, Thomas drove back into Tennessee but turned onto an ATV trail leaving Jeffers unable to continue the pursuit.

Constable Jeffers was soon assisted by Whitley County Sheriff Bill Elliotte when they used a four-wheel drive SUV to search for Thomas. The Ford F150 was found abandoned on the ATV trail.

A search of the truck allegedly revealed “a large amount of commercial phone cable in the bed of the truck and the cab,” the report said.

This is when law enforcement also learned the truck had allegedly been stolen.

Thomas was later arrested at Jellico Towers. He denied being behind the wheel during the pursuit but admitted to being in the truck “at some point,” the report said.

He also admitted to “consuming heroin” on the day of the pursuit but claimed to not always remember his actions while he was high.

Last week, Thomas, 43, was indicted on theft over $60,000, vandalism over $60,000, felony evading arrest, reckless endangerment with deadly weapon, critical infrastructure vandalism. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED 5/23/2024- 6AM)

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