Crime spree ends with Boone pursuit
by Kellen Moore
Police arrested two West Virginia men Sunday after a crime
spree that ended with a vehicle and foot chase in Watauga County.
The incident began around 4:30 p.m. Sunday when a woman reported that two men had taken her purse by force while she was eating at a restaurant on Rivers Street, according to the Boone Police Department.
The suspects left in a Ford Explorer, which was spotted 18 minutes later by Lt. Donnie Goodman on N.C. 105.
The driver refused to stop for the lights and siren, leading officers on a pursuit out of Boone on N.C. 105 toward Avery County. Officers from the Boone Police Department, Watauga County Sheriff's Office and N.C. Highway Patrol were involved.
Police learned that the vehicle had been reported stolen the previous day in Wilkes County.
During the pursuit, the suspect vehicle hit another vehicle on N.C. 105, causing significant damage but no serious injury, according to police.
With the vehicle still in gear, the driver and passenger bolted from the vehicle and ran from the officer toward the Watauga River.
Goodman followed the suspects down an embankment and swam after them across a deep section of river, according to police. He caught and arrested one suspect near the river; the second was located and arrested about 15 minutes later in Hound Ears.
Jeremy Allen White, 26, of 215 Scott Place, Fairmont, W.Va., and Brandon Michael Carroll, 21, of 500 Cottage Ave., Fairmont, W.Va. face dozens of charges.
Police believe the men stole a Subaru in West Virginia and later committed larceny at the Walmart in Wilkesboro. A vehicle chase began when Wilkesboro Police attempted to stop the stolen vehicle, but the chase was cancelled due to the suspects' extreme driving, police said.
The suspects allegedly abandoned the stolen Subaru and stole a Ford Explorer from a Wilkesboro home — the same vehicle they were caught driving in Boone.
Investigators are still looking into additional crimes in the Boone area that may be linked to the two men.
White faces the following charges, according to the Boone Police Department: possession of a stolen vehicle (F), common law robbery (F), financial card theft (F), fleeing to elude arrest (F), assault with a deadly weapon (M), two counts of larceny (M), possession of stolen property (M), financial card fraud (M), driving left of center (M), speeding 90 mph in a 45 mph zone (M), providing fictitious information to an officer (M), hit and run (M), driving without a license (M), failure to heed lights and siren (M), resisting a public officer (M), possession of drug paraphernalia (M), larceny of a motor vehicle (F), possession of stolen property (M), fleeing to elude arrest (F), assault with a deadly weapon on a law enforcement officer (F), larceny (M), failure to heed lights and siren (M), driving left of center (M), reckless driving to endanger (M) and three counts of failure to stop for a stop light/sign (M).
White's bond for the Watauga County charges totaled $85,000; his bond for the Wilkes County charges totaled $25,000.
Carroll faces the following charges, according to the Boone Police Department: possession of a stolen motor vehicle (F), common law robbery (F), financial card theft (F), possession with intent to sell or deliver a schedule II controlled substance (F), assault with a deadly weapon (M), two counts of larceny (M), possession of stolen property (M), financial card fraud (M), resisting a public officer (M), larceny of a motor vehicle (F), possession of stolen property (M) and larceny (M).
Carroll was issued a $76,000 bond for crimes in Watauga County and a $10,000 bond for the Wilkes County charges.
The incident began around 4:30 p.m. Sunday when a woman reported that two men had taken her purse by force while she was eating at a restaurant on Rivers Street, according to the Boone Police Department.
The suspects left in a Ford Explorer, which was spotted 18 minutes later by Lt. Donnie Goodman on N.C. 105.
The driver refused to stop for the lights and siren, leading officers on a pursuit out of Boone on N.C. 105 toward Avery County. Officers from the Boone Police Department, Watauga County Sheriff's Office and N.C. Highway Patrol were involved.
Police learned that the vehicle had been reported stolen the previous day in Wilkes County.
During the pursuit, the suspect vehicle hit another vehicle on N.C. 105, causing significant damage but no serious injury, according to police.
With the vehicle still in gear, the driver and passenger bolted from the vehicle and ran from the officer toward the Watauga River.
Goodman followed the suspects down an embankment and swam after them across a deep section of river, according to police. He caught and arrested one suspect near the river; the second was located and arrested about 15 minutes later in Hound Ears.
Jeremy Allen White, 26, of 215 Scott Place, Fairmont, W.Va., and Brandon Michael Carroll, 21, of 500 Cottage Ave., Fairmont, W.Va. face dozens of charges.
Police believe the men stole a Subaru in West Virginia and later committed larceny at the Walmart in Wilkesboro. A vehicle chase began when Wilkesboro Police attempted to stop the stolen vehicle, but the chase was cancelled due to the suspects' extreme driving, police said.
The suspects allegedly abandoned the stolen Subaru and stole a Ford Explorer from a Wilkesboro home — the same vehicle they were caught driving in Boone.
Investigators are still looking into additional crimes in the Boone area that may be linked to the two men.
White faces the following charges, according to the Boone Police Department: possession of a stolen vehicle (F), common law robbery (F), financial card theft (F), fleeing to elude arrest (F), assault with a deadly weapon (M), two counts of larceny (M), possession of stolen property (M), financial card fraud (M), driving left of center (M), speeding 90 mph in a 45 mph zone (M), providing fictitious information to an officer (M), hit and run (M), driving without a license (M), failure to heed lights and siren (M), resisting a public officer (M), possession of drug paraphernalia (M), larceny of a motor vehicle (F), possession of stolen property (M), fleeing to elude arrest (F), assault with a deadly weapon on a law enforcement officer (F), larceny (M), failure to heed lights and siren (M), driving left of center (M), reckless driving to endanger (M) and three counts of failure to stop for a stop light/sign (M).
White's bond for the Watauga County charges totaled $85,000; his bond for the Wilkes County charges totaled $25,000.
Carroll faces the following charges, according to the Boone Police Department: possession of a stolen motor vehicle (F), common law robbery (F), financial card theft (F), possession with intent to sell or deliver a schedule II controlled substance (F), assault with a deadly weapon (M), two counts of larceny (M), possession of stolen property (M), financial card fraud (M), resisting a public officer (M), larceny of a motor vehicle (F), possession of stolen property (M) and larceny (M).
Carroll was issued a $76,000 bond for crimes in Watauga County and a $10,000 bond for the Wilkes County charges.