ALEXANDER COUNTY, N.C. — One person is in custody after Alexander County deputies said he led police on a chase before stealing a deputy's patrol car and ramming another officer's vehicle early Friday morning.
The Alexander County Sheriff's Office said deputies attempted to stop Tony Timothy Martin, 35, of Taylorsville as he was speeding on Highway 127 around 3 a.m.
Sheriff Chris Bowman told WCNC Charlotte deputies used stop sticks to end the pursuit on Antioch Church Road.
Bowman said Martin got out of his vehicle and jumped into the deputy's patrol car. Martin rammed into another responding deputy's patrol vehicle. Bowman said the deputy split his forehead on the steering wheel and is expected to be OK.
The deputy whose patrol vehicle was stolen then opened fire into the vehicle, forcing Martin to jump and run from the car. He was taken into custody a short time later. Bowman said deputies found a large knife in Martin's possession when he was arrested.
Deputies said Martin was charged with felony flee/elude arrest with a motor vehicle, felony larceny of a motor vehicle, felony assault with a deadly weapon on a law enforcement officer, felony assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, four counts of misdemeanor resist/obstruct/delay, two counts of felony injury to personal property, and numerous traffic offenses.
This investigation is still ongoing by both the Alexander County Sheriff's Office and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.
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