DANDRIDGE, Tenn (WVLT) -- Hundreds of tires sit behind Elmer Shults' house in Dandridge - neighbors say the pile is a mosquito breeding ground, and they're sick of it.

"You can't go out and sit on your porch - I mean, they just eat you up. It's bad, it's really bad," said J.R. Ramey, who lives behind Shults.

"You can't come outside without getting multiple bites. We even tried a bug zapper and it still doesn't do any good so we spend most of our time in house," said Renae Newcome, who lives next door.

Back in February, the Jefferson County zoning board filed a complaint against Shults - ordering him to clean up the mess - but so far he hasn't, which is why there's a contempt of court warrant out for his arrest. This isn't the first time he's been in trouble for the tires:

"He's already been in jail for 10 days and served it once before and he still wouldn't clean his property up. So the judge issued another contempt order," said Sheriff G.W. "Bud" McCoig.

Shults wasn't home when deputies showed up on his front doorstep Friday night, but his step-son was. He said Shults started picking up the tires from gas stations and garages a few years ago.

"He got them from the stores up in Sevier County and stuff - and he got paid for them, for getting them because we needed the money," said Jonathan Ramsey, Shults' step-son.

As for why the tires are still piled up:

"It's just that my step-dad is getting sick and I don't have a truck or anything to do it with. So we don't have much help," said Ramsey.

Now the state is stepping in.

"The state of Tennessee is going to issue the people to help clean it up and it's going to be managed by our superintendent of sanitation," said McCoig.

Neighbors said they're relieved and hopeful the tires - and mosquitos - will be gone soon.

Sheriff McCoig said the tires are also dangerous because of toxic smoke if they catch on fire.