Car was driven without oil I was told when I bought the car that the car would shut down and the engine would not be blown

Those copper and gold flakes in the oil is actually brass most likely from the crank and or rod bearings. It's hard to say what is actually making the noise without opening the engine up. It sounds like the engine is blown & needs replaced instead of trying to chase down a knocking sound just do the job right from the beginning or you will wast a lot of time & money

ruined

that sounds like your radiator leaked. have you checked your oil lately? if it is a caramel color or milky brown,you've blown your head gasket.if you never over heated it does not make sense why it would blow.did it ever make a strange gurgling or bubbling sound and feel slightly rough while driving? if so that was you radiator and reservoir emptying out. if you have not driven it far and not warped the heads you can get a back yard mechanic it fix it for you for less than a shop would charge you . If the heads are warped, you will have to shave them down .And if thats the case you might wanna start car shopping .

did the vehicle over heat, a cylinder leak down test will pin point if you have a blown head gasket.

No, the issues are probably not related. If you are low on oil, you risk blowing your engine; that's why a tow was recommended. However, it's easier and cheaper to add oil... If you are getting a low oil pressure indication and you have a normal oil level, you should not run the engine until the problem is fixed (bad oil pump, blown or worn oil seal(s), etc.) Low oil level can result in low oil pressure, which damages the engine.

At this point, you may want to consider whether the vehicle is worth the cost of the repair. If it hasn't used oil before, the problem may be relatively simple - it could even be a faulty oil pressure sensor. But if it's blowing blue smoke or cylinder compression is way below specification, the engine is likely due for an overhaul or replacement.

If it was driven without oil then you have a new engine in your future.

worst case u seized engine steam would be antifreeze boiling over or coming out of a cracked port or blown gasket[head gasket] other is over heating engine and pressure vent in cap popped ,blown radiator,blown heater hose , seized water pump, can be anything would need more info to help narrow down problem but if beating on car [VERY high speed ]and something went like u state most likely will be pricey to repair damage

i'll be honest i'm not familiar with scions but that does not sound right. usually that means that a check engine light or possibly the empty light wants to turn on but the computer sensed no current coming through it meaning the bulb for that particular light is blown or loose. if you want you can take apart the dashboard and look for blown lamps but i wouldnt worry about it

Your engine is overheating, which isn't directly related to oil pressure. I would take the S10 to a reputable/trusted mechanic and have him perform the following tests.
Compression Test Leak Down Test Coolant System Pressure Test Inspect Oil for Moisture (you can do this one, remove the dipstick, does the oil on it look like milk? If it looks like milk it means there is water/coolant in the oil, a sign of a blown head gasket. However not all head gaskets dump coolant into the oil when they blow) Inspect Clutch Fan for proper operation
The mechanic will know what those mean, It sounds like your head gaskets may be blown, which is why the engine would be overheating. Also if the Clutch Fan isn't working properly, it won't pull enough air through the radiator to keep the engine cool at an idle or while sitting still.
If the Head Gaskets are blown, it doesn't necessarily mean you need a new engine.
One other thing to note, when an engine overheats, the oil breaks down and no longer works as good as it used to.

car needed oil