The Mayor of Mountain City , TN was arrested Tuesday night and charged with obstruction of justice.
That’s according to a news release from Johnson County Sheriff Ed Tester.
According to a news release, the charge against Mayor Kevin Parsons stems from a traffic stop on December 22, 2018.
Sheriff Tester said Mayor Parsons was pulled over for speeding on Highway 67.
“Upon approaching the car, the officer immediately recognized and identified the driver as Mayor Parsons and advised him why he had stopped him,” Sheriff Tester said in the news release. “The officer then asked Mr. Parsons who the passenger was with him. He stated it was a friend.”
The Sheriff said the officer had prior knowledge that Mayor Parson’s brother-in-law had active warrants for his arrest in Johnson County. And the Sheriff said the officer knew Parson’s brother-in-law “had been seen in that same vehicle….”
The Sheriff said Parsons refused to answer the officer, and he said the man in the car with the Mayor refused to identify himself or provide identification.
“Sheriff Tester arrived on scene and asked Mr. Parsons if the passenger was his brother-in-law. Mr. Parsons responded saying, ‘I don’t know, I’m not at liberty to say that.'”
According to the news release, Mayor Parsons was asked “one last time” if he didn’t know the passenger, and that’s when Sheriff Tester said Mayor Parsons said, “It’s my brother-in-law, yes.”
Sheriff Tester said Mayor Parson’s brother-in-law Kevin Cornett was taken into custody.
More than two weeks later, Mayor Parsons was charged Tuesday night.
News Channel 11 contacted Mayor Parsons who issued this statement:
“I am not guilty of the charges placed against me. I am looking forward to proving my innocence on my day in court.”
Parson’s bond was set at $2500 with a court date set for March 20th.
