In the general scheme of things, it may be that the impaired driving accusation against a young Hendersonville man is the least of his worries. The case seems to still be developing, but the circumstances reported in the media so far make clear that he should be seeking the help of an experienced criminal defense attorney.
Authorities say the 20-year-old was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence on Dec. 28. Officers were called to the scene of a car accident in which the suspect was alleged to have run into the rear of another car. As a result of the investigation, though, additional charges of drug possession and possession of prohibited weapons have surfaced.
It's that last allegation that has the young man's parents rather baffled. They stem from the fact that when police checked out the suspect's backpack on the day of the crash, they found a couple of Molotov cocktails. A bomb disposal team later reported finding a third of the crude explosives at the scene.
Later, acting on what they said was information supplied by the suspect, police found 13 more of the devices at his family's home.
The man's father and stepmother describe the young man as a "typical kid trying to find his way in life." They say they had no idea that he had been storing such devices at the home.
Court documents indicate that the defendant told police that he made the devices for his own use as preparation for a possible apocalypse. Authorities say they have no evidence to contradict that at this point, but they are checking to see if he may have any ties to any extremist groups.
His father says that for now, he's not worrying about why this has happened. He says he's focused on ensuring his son's well-being. Hopefully that includes finding an attorney.
Source: The Tennessean, "Father calls Molotov suspect a 'typical kid'," Sarah Kingsbury and Tena Lee, Jan. 4, 2014