Pet sitter arrested after standoff with police at Chattooga County home

Arkansas-Kentucky Live Blog

Police arrested a Trion, Ga., man after they say he reported a fake hostage situation.

Douglas Craig Carson, 20, called 911 around 6:40 p.m. Wednesday. The dispatcher could not understand Carson on the phone, according to a news release. Carson was whispering.

This was the second time Carson called the emergency number on Wednesday night, and this was the second time deputies responded. The first time, around 5:35 p.m., a deputy came to the location of the call -- 173 Katie Lane in Summerville -- but did not find anyone at home.

This time, two deputies came to the house. Again, nobody answered the door. But Deputy Greg Webb walked to the back of the house and shouted through an open window, announcing himself, according to the release. Webb heard a man yell back, apparently threatening the deputies.

They called for backup, and about 15 officers from the Chattooga County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene. Likewise, a special operations unit from Walker County began to drive to Summerville to help.

Some members of the Chattooga office set up a perimeter from the edge of the house to the end of Katie Street. Neighbors already home could not leave. Those who were gone could not come back, not until the officers shut down the perimeter around 11:30 p.m.

Eventually, Carson jumped out of a second-floor window in the back of the house. He tried to run toward the front of the house, but officers stopped him. When they began to question Carson, according to the release, he said two more people were stuck inside.

Minutes later, the special operations unit from Walker County arrived and searched the house. They swept through all the rooms twice but never found anybody.

On Thursday, the Chattooga County Sheriff's Office charged Carson with making a false report. He does not live at that house on Katie Lane, Sheriff Mark Schrader said. The homeowners were out of town, and Carson was there to take care of their animals.

Contact staff writer Tyler Jett at tjett@timesfreeprss.com or 423-757-6476.

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