ROWAN COUNTY, N.C. — A man fired by the Rowan County Sheriff's Office for using excessive force in a 2021 arrest is now facing assault charges stemming from the original incident. He turned himself into jail on Friday.
The Salisbury Post first reported in January 2022 that 27-year-old Tyler J. Luby was fired in November 2021 for violating the agency's use of force policy during an arrest that happened on November 16, 2021. The arrest referred to in Luby's termination letter involved 49-year-old Jeffrey Wayne Massey of Rockwell.
On that night, the Post reported Massey and 46-year-old Michelle Lynn Hamby led deputies on a high-speed chase in Salisbury. Two Rowan County deputies who responded to both the initial scene and its aftermath were injured; one deputy was dragged by the car Massey drove, and the other somehow lost his ring finger when Massey was forced to the ground during the arrest. Massey notably has a criminal history, including time in prison for second-degree murder in Davidson County.
While Luby was not listed as one of the injured deputies, the termination letter confirmed he was part of the arrest on November 16.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation confirmed Luby turned himself into the county jail on Aug. 26, 2022. He is now charged with two counts each of simple assault and assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury. Their investigation remains ongoing.
WCNC Charlotte has asked for more information from both the sheriff's office and the district attorney's office. Should we receive more information from either office, we will update this article.
A mugshot for Luby was not posted online in the jail roster as of Friday night.