Newport Man Arrested For Drugs and Unlawful Gun Possession

Tuesday morning Cocke County deputies were dispatched out to east Hwy 25-70 near the Bobarosa saloon about a man walking in the ditch with a flashlight. In the ditch they found Newport resident Tom Hudson who told deputies he was having car trouble and was trying to flag down help. Hudson appeared to be under an intoxicant and admitted to have taken meth about 12 hours earlier. A loaded Ruger 9mm was found on Hudson. A search of Hudson’s vehicle revealed several bags with syringes….a bag was found on Hudson’s person containing what turned out to be 1.1 grams of methamphetamine. Hudson has been charged with possession of schedule II narcotics and drug paraphernalia, plus unlawful possession of a handgun, as Hudson gun permit had expired.