Man arrested for alleged tirade at local cell phone store

A Corbin man was arrested Wednesday after he damaged displayed at a local cellular phone retail store, apparently angry at the quality of service he was receiving.

According to Corbin Police Public Affairs Officer Rob Jones, 54-year-old Billy Hammons Jr., was charged with public intoxication and disorderly conduct following the incident. He was arrested by Corbin Police Chief David Campbell and Col. Bruce Rains at the ATT Store, located in the Tri-County Square shopping center, after he began acting unruly with staff there. Campbell was forced to physically detain Hammons, Jones said, until he could be handcuffed and was finally compliant.

Police believe Hammons was under the influence of prescription painkillers while at the store. The incident happened at about 11:30 a.m. When searched, they found a pill bottle on him that had just been filled with 60 Lorcet pills. Only 49 of the pills remained.

Jones said Hammons had overturned a shelf and some display materials on the floor of the store and appeared very agitated. He was taken to Baptist Regional Medical Center after being taken into custody.

Hammons was arrested by Corbin Police in early June after crashing his car into a utility pole on Beatty Ave. He pleaded guilty in Knox District Court to third-offense DUI and for driving on a DUI suspended license and was sentenced to one month in jail.