Talk about a complete and total meltdown. Things have gone from bad, to horrible, to disastrous for former NASCAR racer Jeremy Mayfield.
Already the subject of several substance abuse issues that cost him his racing career, Mayfield was indicted Nov. 7 on one count of possession of methamphetamine. Investigators found more than $100,000 in reportedly stolen goods in his home. Oh, and his home could be foreclosed on because he owes the county about $100,000 in late property taxes.
Mayfield’s property takes up about 400 acres and he owns two other lots as well. The Catawba County tax office said Mayfield and his wife Shana didn’t paid property taxes on the 388-acre property in 2009 or 2010. The Mayfields live on a 5-acre plot that is on the larger property but is considered separate, and they owe $43,570 on that smaller property. On the larger tract, they owe $35,700 (the house makes the smaller plot worth more).
On the other two properties they own in Catawba, the Mayfields owe about $1,470 in taxes not paid in 2009 and 2010. Of course, they also have until Jan. 5 to pay their 2011 taxes on all the pieces of land. For 2011, they owe about $22,570 on the larger lot, $7,970 on the plot with the home, and about $700 on the other two lots.
The Mooresville Tribune reports on Mayfield’s troubles here.
Things started really going downhill for Mayfield in May of 2009 when NASCAR suspended him for a positive methamphetamine test. Mayfield blamed the result on Adderall, which he said he takes for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and allergy medication Claritin-D.
In April of this year, some of Mayfield’s dogs attacked a postal carrier, who had to be hospitalized with bites on his legs and shoulders.
Then on Nov. 1, Mayfield was arrested when the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office was informed by an unnamed source that Mayfield and several acquaintances stole items from five different businesses. The source told police that the items could be found on Mayfield’s 388-acre property.
In a search of the property, police found more than $100,000 worth of property including scrap metal, a chassis jig, an engraving machine, sound equipment, Red Bull Racing apparel and other items that had been reported stolen. The businesses had been broken into in 2010 and early 2011. They also found 1.5 grams of methamphetamine inside a safe in Mayfield’s home, and a meth pipe was found in a trailer next to the home.
Besides the indictment for possession of a controlled substance, investigators say charges may also be brought against Mayfield for breaking-and-entering and larcenies. The Sheriff’s Office seized more than 75 weapons from Mayfield’s home and is investigating whether any of them are stolen as well.
Never a star on the NASCAR circuit, the 42-year-old Mayfield earned five wins and 48 top-5’s between 1993 and 2009, winning the pole nine times. In his 16-year career, Mayfield earned $33,637,903 in prize money, not counting endorsements.
