A Granite Falls man is in custody after he led law enforcement on a chase after he allegedly stole a truck Wednesday evening in Alexander County.
Shortly after 7pm, Alexander County Emergency Communications received a call regarding a vehicle being stolen on Summit Road west of Taylorsville. The pickup was spotted by Taylorsville Police near the intersection of Alspaugh Dam Road and Church Road. The officer activated blue lights and siren but the driver refused to stop. Other Taylorsville Officers and Deputies with the Alexander County Sheriff’s Office responded to the chase which traveled North Carolina Highway 16 South.
Taylorsville Police Chief Douglas Bowman says the driver sped across Oxford Dam Bridge into Catawba County and turned into River Bend Park crashing through the locked gate. The operator drove through the parking lot onto walking trails and an abandoned logging road eventually crashing the truck into a tree.
The arrest report states the subject refused to exit the stolen pickup. He was forcibly removed by a Taylorsville Police Officer and taken into custody. The suspect told officers he had swallowed heroin during the chase.
Alexander EMS responded to the Alexander County Detention Center and transported the subject to an area hospital to be examined. He was cleared and released from the hospital and placed in the Alexander County Detention Center.
39-year old Bradley Thomas Sain of Granite Falls is charged withFelony larceny of a motor vehicle
Felony possession of a stolen motor vehicle
Flee to elude arrest with a motor vehicle
Reckless Driving to endanger
Failure to stop at a red light
Driving left of center
Unsafe passing into oncoming traffic
Other charges are possible
Sain is being held in the Alexander County Detention Center with a secured bond of $50,000.
Photo: Taylorsville Police Department