Steven Tyler Frizzell hearing
photo by Claire Henley Miller
A Soddy Daisy man who served time in prison for a 2007 vehicular homicide on Thursday morning was ordered held without bond after picking up multiple new charges.
Steven Tyler Frizzell, 29, was arrested once in 2014, nine times last year, and in February he was charged with multiple new offenses.
The offender appeared before General Sessions Judge Gary Starnes on Thursday regarding his most recent drug charges.
On the night of Feb. 18, an officer pulled Frizzell over in the 5400 block of Highway 153 for having a headlight out. A computer search by the officer revealed Frizzell’s criminal history. When the officer asked to search the car, the defendant refused.
A Chattanooga Police Narcotic K9 came on the scene, and police found three syringe needles, a scale, and a hi-point 9MM pistol in the center console.
Police also found a pill bottle that Frizzell said he used for cutting heroin, 1.7 grams of heroin, and a black BB handgun in the car.
Frizzell was taken into custody and transported to the Hamilton County Jail where officers discovered a bag of meth in his sock during a strip search.
During the hearing, Frizzell – who recently met his $70,000 bond – faced the judge on counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of heroin/meth for resale, possession of firearm in commission of a felony, and obstruction of justice for attempting to hinder the discovery of the meth in his sock.
Prosecutor Ben Boyer called the officer who pulled Frizzell over as a witness. The officer said one of the syringes found in Frizzell’s car had blood on it from where he allegedly “shot up” a few days earlier, after getting out of jail.
In an attempt to mitigate his client’s charges, defense attorney Lloyd Levitt confirmed the gun found in the center console contained no ammunition. Attorney Levitt said the gun belonged to Frizzell’s girlfriend.
He also questioned the proof that the drugs discovered were for resale. "Did you find a substantial amount of money in the vehicle?" attorney Levitt asked. The officer responded that he did not.
After listening to the prosecutor and the defense, Judge Starnes said there was sufficient evidence to send each one of Frizzell’s charges to the Grand Jury. The defendant has other charges that were recently bound to the Grand Jury as well.
Because of Frizzell’s extensive criminal history, prosecutor Boyer requested to keep him in jail without bond until the Grand Jury hears his case.
Attorney Levitt argued since the defendant has a serious drug issue, he should go to drug rehab instead, and be required to wear a GPS monitoring system.
Judge Starnes said Frizzell is “certainly a danger to this community.” He looked the defendant in the eyes. “You don’t intend on doing anything anybody tells you to do.”
This comment reverberated back to 2007, when Frizzell lost control of his Ford Taurus on Old Hixson Pike, killing Robert Frizzell, 72, and seriously injuring two others.
As a result, in 2009 Criminal Court Judge Don Poole sentenced Frizzell to eight years in prison. Though the judge said he hoped Frizzell would turn his life around, after serving his time, Frizzell’s name once again started appearing on criminal dockets.
On Thursday, Judge Starnes granted prosecutor Boyer’s request to hold Frizzell in jail without bond. Frizzell handed his lawyer his personal things. Then he took a seat on the bench next to the other inmates.