Wild Alexander County Chase Ends With Suspect Crashing Into Law Enforcement Center…Updated

A Stony Point man is in custody after he led law enforcement officers in Alexander County on a long high-speed chase that left two Sheriff’s Office vehicles damaged, one Taylorsville Police vehicle damaged, and a door at the Alexander County Law Enforcement Center destroyed.

On Saturday, around 6:30 pm, Alexander County 911 received multiple calls regarding a vehicle being driven erratically in the Vashti Community. Deputies responded along with the North Carolina Highway Patrol and spotted a white Dodge Durango SUV traveling on Black Oak Ridge Road. Blue lights and sirens were activated. The driver refused to stop.

Stop sticks were deployed at the intersection of Black Oak Ridge Road and Jay Burke Road, however the vehicle swerved to avoid the stop sticks. The vehicle continued on Jay Burke Road to Old Wilkesboro Road. Stop sticks were deployed again by Taylorsville Police Department at the intersection of Mountain Laurel Lane and Old Wilkesboro Road, however the vehicle swerved and again avoided the stop sticks. The vehicle continued onto West Main Avenue, then to 2nd St SW, and onto NC Highway 16 South, where the vehicle sped up to approximately 70-80 MPH. As officers attempted to pass the vehicle the driver swerved and struck a patrol vehicle. The SUV continued to travel on NC Highway 16 South and turned onto Commercial Park Avenue. As officers exited their patrol vehicles, the vehicle accelerated, forcing officers to jump out of the way to avoid being struck. Two patrol vehicles were struck. The vehicle traveled back up Commercial Park Avenue and turned into the parking lot of the Alexander County Sheriff’s Office, where the vehicle drove through the exit door of the sally port and came to a stop. Officers exited their patrol vehicles and gave commands to the driver. The suspect was extracted from the vehicle, where he continued to resist officers and refused to follow verbal commands.

33-year old Brantly Lee Minton was taken into custody and charged with a long list of offenses including multiple counts of assault with a deadly weapon on law enforcement officers (as the result of ramming sheriff’s office cars), flee/elude arrest with a motor vehicle, vandalism with damage to personal property, speeding, driving with license revoked, and reckless driving to endanger. He is being held in the Alexander County Detention Center with a secured bond of $350,000.

Sheriff Chris Bowman would like to thank Taylorsville Police and the North Carolina Highway Patrol for their assistance.

Despite the long chase being strewn with damage to vehicles and the law enforcement center, no injuries were reported.

Photo: Alexander County Sheriff’s Office