Chase ends in wreck, arrest

Published 12:00 am Saturday, September 11, 2004

AHOSKIE – What started out as a simple identity check turned into a vehicle chase where the fleeing suspect steered his automobile in speeds of excess of 100 mph before finally being apprehended.

Hertford County Sheriff Juan Vaughan reported that Anthony McCoy (aka &uot;Tony Mack&uot;) White, 41 of 807 NC 37 North, Gates, is behind bars in the Hertford County Jail, held under a combined $229,500 bond on numerous charges.

The incident began in Ahoskie at approximately 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday when Hertford County Deputy Steve Ashe noticed a female passenger in a passing vehicle who he thought was the same person for which he had an arrest warrant. The Sheriff reported that Dep. Ashe activated his blue light and attempted to stop the vehicle. However, the driver of the vehicle (later found out to be White) sped off, eventually turning onto Catherine Creek Road where the Sheriff said the suspect’s vehicle nearly crashed with another police vehicle.

White then steered right onto Memorial Drive, ducked into the parking lot of a business where his female passenger jumped out of the vehicle. The car sped off again, this time heading south on Memorial Drive. After a brief detour through the parking lot of another business, White sped back onto Memorial Drive, turned onto NC 561 East, turned left onto Newsome Grove Road, right onto Ahoskie-Cofield Road and left onto Hall’s Siding Road where the vehicle crashed.

White reportedly jumped out of the vehicle and fled, but was apprehended by Dep. Ashe and HCSO Sgt. Will Liverman after a short foot chase.

After identifying the suspect, Ashe and Liverman discovered they had the suspect wanted in connection with a crime that occurred Tuesday near Murfreesboro. In that case, White was charged with assault on a female, common law robbery, 1st degree burglary, injury to real property and 2nd degree trespassing. For those charges, a bond was issued in the amount of $191,500.

For Wednesday’s attempted flight from justice, White was charged with driving while license were revoked, felony speed to elude arrest, careless and reckless driving, failure to yield to a blue light and siren, and resist, obstruct and delay (a law enforcement officer). His bond on those charges was $38,000.

The female that exited the car was questioned and released. She was not the same person that Dep. Ashe was seeking.

&uot;I commend Dep. Ashe and Sgt. Liverman in handling this vehicle chase in the safest regard, keeping in mind of the threat this suspect posed to others traveling on those roads at that particular time,&uot; said Sheriff Vaughan.

The Sheriff also thanked the Ahoskie Police Department for their assistance.