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Court Date Set For Union City Man Facing Multiple Charges

Eric Lynn Choate

A preliminary hearing for a Union City man charged with numerous crimes has been set for Thursday, Feb. 1, 2023.  

According to a Martin Police incident report, on Jan. 23 at 1:12 p.m., Patrolman Nicholas Combs with the Martin Police Department observed a black 1991 Chevrolet Silverado traveling west on University Street driven by 49-year-old Eric Lynn Choate. Combs had previous knowledge of Choate having active arrest warrants out of Fulton County, Kentucky, for a failure to appear sentencing and failure to appear for probation revocation.

The vehicle pulled into Advanced Auto Parts, located at 857 University St., and Officer Combs made contact with Choate in the parking lot. Upon contact, Combs asked Choate for his identification and he stated that he did not have any. Additionally, Choate told the officer that his name was John Anthony Choate with a date of birth of Aug. 08, 1967. However, Combs identified him as Eric Choate and his driver’s license was found to have been suspended out of Obion County General Sessions Court for failure to appear on Jan. 23, 2020. Choate also had had a registration plate displayed on his vehicle which proved to be stolen out of Greenfield.

While searching Choate, Ptl. Combs discovered a glass smoking pipe the suspect’s right front pocket, which Choate advised he used for smoking methamphetamine.

Once Patrolman Dalton Hahn with the Martin Police Department arrived at the scene and made contact with Choate, due to possible warrants, Ptl. Hahn positively identified the suspect as Eric Choate. Hahn had come into contact with Choate on Dec. 3, 2022, when the officer issued a citation for animals running at large to a suspect who identified himself as Mr. John Choate. But, after speaking to the suspect, it was determined that he was using someone else’s identity.

On Jan. 23 at 3:20 p.m. Investigator Sarah Turner with the Martin Police Department conducted a consent to search of the 1999 Chevrolet Silverado belonging to Choate, while at Alpha Towing and Recovery. During the search, Turner located a cylinder-shaped container that contained numerous hypodermic needles and 0.4 grams of a crystal-like substance believed to be methamphetamine. Some of the needles collected had been used. These were found in the bed of the truck inside a green backpack.

Choate is charged with criminal impersonation, stolen property (theft up to $1,000), unlawful drug paraphernalia uses and activities; driving on a revoked, suspended or canceled driver’s license; a warrant of arrest for crime in another state-fugitive from justice; and simple possession, casual exchange. 

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