An Elizabethton woman found herself heading from the lobby of the Carter County Detention Center to the booking office after she was reportedly found attempting to use drugs in the public bathroom at the facility.
Carter County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Samantha Maney arrested Tabbitha Louise Markland, 26, of 233 W. Elk Ave., Apt. 5, Elizabethton, on Monday and charged her with public intoxication, possession of Schedule III drugs, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Maney responded to the lobby of the detention center on Monday after receiving a request to perform a welfare check on a woman in the public restroom who had been there for 45 minutes. When she arrived at the detention center, Maney said she encountered Markland, who she described as being unsteady on her feet and having slurred speech and glossy eyes. The officer also noted there was blood running down Markland’s hand and arm and onto her clothing.
“As I was speaking with Ms. Markland she dropped a cap that belonged to the top of a syringe,” Maney said. “I asked Ms. Markland if she was alright and why she had blood running down her wrist. Ms. Markland began to cry and stated ‘I was trying to but I couldn’t get it all the way in.’”
Markland told the officer she had a needle in her bag and Maney said she recovered it.
Maney placed Markland under arrest on charges of public intoxication and possession of drug paraphernalia. During a search of Markland’s person following the arrest, Maney said she found a small pill holder containing three pills. Two of the pills were for a prescription Markland had a bottle for in her purse. The third pill was identified as buprenorphine — a generic name for the drugs Suboxone and Subutex — which Maney said Markland did not have a prescription for.
“Ms. Markland also had a sock in her underwear containing three unused needles, two used needles, four spoons and several used cigarette filters.”
Maney then added a charge of possession of Schedule III drugs against Markland in connection with the buprenorphine.
Markland appeared in Carter County General Sessions Court on Tuesday morning but Judge Keith Bowers Jr. reset her case for today in his court.