KINGS MOUNTAIN, N.C. — A man is in custody after deputies with the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office in South Carolina said a chase that started in Mecklenburg County ended across state lines Friday.
NBC affiliate WYFF-TV learned from Sheriff Steve Mueller the chase involved a reportedly stolen U-Haul. According to Mueller, police in the Bessemer City areas in North Carolina tried using stop sticks. Mueller said that didn't work, and the chase crossed state lines.
Mueller told WYFF that stop sticks were deployed again on the South Carolina side, but the driver was able to get by those. Stop sticks were again used a few miles down the road, this time puncturing the U-Haul's right front tire.
Five miles later, Mueller said 57-year-old Joseph Lee Houston Jr. was taken into custody. Houston is now charged with grand larceny over $10,000 and failing to stop for blue lights. He was also issued a ticket for not having a driver's license on him. Jail records show bond has yet to be determined for him.
Mueller also told WYFF that at some point, Houston allegedly motioned to police he might run them over, and an officer fired two shots at the U-Haul. Only the truck was hit, but it wasn't immediately clear which agency the officer belonged to.
Earlier Friday evening, all southbound lanes of Interstate 85 near Kings Mountain were closed due to a crash. The North Carolina Department of Transportation's traffic map showed the crash happened on I-85 near Battleground Road.
As of writing, however, it's unclear if the crash was tied to the chase or somehow indirectly caused by it. Which agency started the chase also wasn't immediately clear. However, The Gaffney Ledger in Cherokee County confirmed traffic was halted after the U-Haul came to a stop.
WCNC Charlotte has reached out to multiple agencies to better understand what led up to the chase and all the parties involved. Once we know more, we will update this article with new information.
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