Court documents: Don Wells’ DUI violates previous handgun possession charge

Posted: Nov 2, 2021 / 08:13 PM EDT

Updated: Nov 2, 2021 / 09:41 PM EDT

ROGERSVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) – According to Hawkins County court documents obtained by News Channel 11, the father of Summer Wells’ DUI charges violated his previous conviction for possession of a handgun while intoxicated.

Don Wells’ sentence for the April 21, 2021 handgun charge totaled 11 months and 29 days in the Hawkins County Jail before his probation.

According to the petition to revoke probation filed in the Hawkins County Courthouse on Nov. 1, the new charges from Wells’ arrest ordered “any lawful officer of the state” to immediately arrest Wells.

The order to arrest Wells was signed by Judge Daniel Boyd.

Since he was already within the courthouse that day, the summons was served to Wells there by Hawkins County deputy Rhonda Salyer.

Wells was present in court on Monday in response to his DUI arrest on Saturday night. He was also charged with improper lane usage, open container, financial responsibility and more.

News Channel 11 was in the courtroom when Salyer arrested Wells and Hawkins County Sheriff Ronnie Lawson walked him out. Later Monday, Wells left the jail on an own recognizance bond but declined to comment on the recent events.

Prior to his court appearance, the Wells family posted to the blog portion of their website, FindSummerWells.com, thanking people for their kind messages and referring to the alleged DUI as a “stupid decision.”

Summer Wells was reported missing from her home in the Beech Creek community of Hawkins County on June 15. Months later, she remains missing but the Hawkins County Sheriffs Office says the case remains a priority and investigators continue to follow up on tips.

The AMBER Alert lists the following details for Summer: