Orange County Junkman Jailed

Hoyle King's neighbors have complained about the property for years, but nothing was done until now.

The junkyard of rusted cars, busted trucks, tractors, trailers and tires is located west of Hillsborough along Highway 70.

"He's trying to do the best he can. The man is old and can only do so much," friend James Carmichael said.

"He's an old guy, but he needs to clean up his act," said Susan Scott of her 82-year-old neighbor.

King's property is zoned as a junkyard, but neighbors said junk keeps spilling out of the yard and along the road so that it is not just unsightly, but unsafe.

"You cannot see oncoming traffic," Scott said.

For two years, King has gone to court and in September, was ordered to remove the junk and put up a fence. Instead of getting a contractor, he built the fence himself.

Unhappy with the unfinished fence, Judge Joe Buckner ruled King in contempt and sent him to jail for one month.

While King sits in a cell, his wife worries at home and his son works to finish the fence.

"I don't want anyone to go to jail, but all he had to do was abide by the law and do what the court told him to do and he's not doing it," Scott said.

King's wife and son chose not to comment. WRAL was not allowed to speak to King in jail.