BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

INEZ — Friday morning took a turn for the bizarre on Happy Hollow when an alleged burglar proved to be a neighbor who lives just a stone’s throw away. Ernest P. Jarvis, 50, of Inez, did not slip in and out of his neighbor’s home unnoticed. Instead, he bolted right out the front door as they rolled into their driveway.

According to Chief Deputy Chris Kidd of the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, the 8 a.m. wake-up call came when homeowners on Happy Hollow found Jarvis making the frantic exit from their securely locked home. Before his hasty retreat, Jarvis had already severed the home’s security cameras and treated himself to a rummaging spree inside.

But the panic kicked in soon enough. Once Jarvis saw the residents returning home, he allegedly fled from the scene so quickly that he broke the top of the screen door.

From there, he ran to his own home, apparently hoping for a clean getaway. No such luck. Deputy Kidd tracked Jarvis down at his residence, where the morning’s chaos took on an extra layer of drama.

According to police reports, Jarvis resisted, pulling away and making it more than clear he was not up for a police escort. That plan did not pan out either. Kidd ultimately subdued Jarvis and deposited him into the patrol car.

According to the deputy, this was not Jarvis’ first appearance on the complaint list.

“Mr. Jarvis has had multiple run-ins with law enforcement the past two weeks,” Kidd explained. “He’s been going to neighbors’ houses, trespassing and aggravating neighbors, accusing them of doing various things.”

One notable complaint is when Jarvis showed up at a local church.

“He concerned the members there at the church greatly, acting erratically,” said Kidd.

“It’s been an ongoing thing with Mr. Jarvis over the past two weeks but we were able to charge him today.”

Jarvis remains in the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center. He is facing charges of second-degree burglary, criminal mischief, menacing and resisting arrest.