ELIZABETHTON — A man who was arrested Friday on a public intoxication charge was later charged with drug possession charges after medical workers reportedly discovered drugs that had been hidden inside his body.

Ricky Chad Oliver, 33, 155 Old Stoney Creek Road, was arrested by Sgt. Michael Sproviero of the Elizabethton Police Department on Friday afternoon on a charge of public intoxication.

Sproviero reported that Oliver's level of intoxication was at a level that he had to be taken to Sycamore Shoals Hospital rather than going directly to jail. Sproviero said the medical workers administered a drug to Oliver to reverse the effects of the intoxication.

After the drug was administered, Sproviero said Oliver lost control of his rectal muscles. A nurse reported that a plastic bag was coming out of his rectum. In all, three bags came out. Sproviero said the bags contained one Subutex pill, one Suboxone pill, four doses of Methadone and one Lortab pill.

Sproviero then charged Oliver with three counts of possession of Schedule III drug, and one count of possession of Schedule II drug.