A Watauga man faces charges after police responding to a report of a suspicious person reported finding him with a truck which the owner said had been stolen.

Deputies of the Carter County Sheriff’s Office arrested Robert Jess Blevins, 44, 288 Cripple Creek Loop, Watauga, on Monday night and charged him with possession of drug paraphernalia, unlawful carrying or possession of a weapon, and criminal responsibility for facilitation of a felony.

According to the police report, deputies were dispatched to 318 Old Watauga Road shortly before 10 p.m. on Monday after a 911 caller reported suspicious activity in the area. The caller told 911 dispatchers that someone with a large truck was at her neighbor’s garage.

“Upon arrival, I observed a Kenworth tractor and trailer truck parked with a male subject working on it,” CCSO Deputy Jason Mosier said. The man, who was later identified as Blevins, told deputies he was helping the driver of the truck, who he identified as Brandon Ollis, work on the brakes. While speaking with Blevins, Mosier observed a pistol in his pocket and retrieved the weapon.

“I then went to speak to Brandon, however, he fled the scene on foot while I was speaking with Robert,” Mosier said.

Deputies located a silver Volkswagen at the scene, and Blevins told officers the vehicle was his and he had driven it there.

“During the investigation, I remembered seeing the tractor and trailer on Elizabethton Highway and noticed the Volkswagen was following closely behind it earlier that evening,” Mosier said. “Robert admitted that he had been following Brandon but was unable to tell me why.”

Other officers arrived on the scene to assist in the search for Ollis. One of the officers saw a glass pipe on the seat of the Volkswagen and Blevins admitted to using methamphetamine, Mosier said.

During the investigation, Mosier and Sgt. David the owner of the Kenworth tractor, Earl Ponder, who told the officers no one should be out in his truck and that he did not know Ollis or Blevins.

“He stated they must have stolen the truck from Burnsville, N.C.,” Mosier said. “We then instructed Mr. Ponder to contact the law enforcement agency in Burnsville to report the truck stolen.”

“During the investigation, there were multiple two-way radios found in both the tractor and Volkswagen,” Mosier continued. “One of the radios found in the tractor was set to the same frequency as one found in the Volkswagen. Also, the registration of the Kenworth was located in the passenger’s seat of the Volkswagen.”

Investigator Travis Ludlow responded to the scene and took over the investigation. At this time, the investigation is ongoing, and additional charges are pending.