Gun Shot Call Leads to Arrest For Warrant

ON TUESDAY, COCKE COUNTY DEPUTY JESSICA BUTLER AND LT JONATHAN OAKES WERE DISPSATCHED TO A HOME ON INDUSTRIAL ROAD IN REFERENCE TO A GUN SHOT WOUND. UPON ARRIVAL AT THE RESIDENCE, OFFICERS WERE MET OUTSIDE BY JASON SMELCER WHO WAS YELLING FOR THEM TO HURRY BECAUSE THE VICTIM IS BLEEDING. OFFICERS LOCATED THE VICTIM, JENNIFER BRYANT SITTING ON THE COUCH BLEEDING FROM A GUNSHOT WOUND TO THE LEG. BOTH SMELCER AND THE VICTIM STATED THEY HEARD A SOUND OUTSIDE THEIR RESIDENCE AND THAT WHEN SMELCER GOT UP TO RETRIEVE A RIFLE, ANOTHER RIFLE WENT OFF WHEN IT FELL INTO THE FLOOR, STRIKING JENNIFER BRYANT IN THE LEG. OFFICERS OBSERVED THAT THE ANGLE OF THE WOUND IN THE VICTIMS LEG, ALONG WITH THE HOLES IN THE COUCH SHOW THAT THE FIREARM WAS MUCH HIGHER THAN THE FLOOR WHEN IT FIRED. OFFICERS REPORT INDICATES THAT BOTH SMELCER AND BRYANT WERE EXTREMELY INTOXICATED. DETECTIVE BOB SCHAFF WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE WHERE HE COLLECTED A SAMPLE OF THE VICTIMS BLOOD. IT IS BELIEVED THAT SMELCER NEGLIGENTLY DISCHARGED THE FIREARM STRIKING BRYANT IN THE LEG. SMELCER ALSO HAD AN ACTIVE CAPIAS WARRANT AGAINST HIM. HE WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AND TRANSPORTED TO THE COCKE COUNTY JAIL.