A high speed chase that began in North Wilksboro stretched over 30 miles and ended in State Road on Friday, resulting in the arrest of two suspects.
The vehicle was speeding toward Elkin, police say.
“We began pursuing Kenneth Herman Bennett of 8424 N.C. 268 West in Boomer on Boone Trail in the Cricket community about 4:30 p.m. due to a pending drug investigation,” said Lt. Craig Dancy, who is in charge of the Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office narcotics unit.
“Bennett was driving a two-door Buick. He pulled into the Cricket Baptist Church parking lot and turned to go back on Boone Trail and accelerated after law enforcement activated their lights,” Lt. Dancy told The Tribune.
According to Lt. Dancy, the chase headed south toward North Wilkesboro. Bennett entered North Wilkesboro, Suncrest Orchard Road, N.C. 18 North, Mountain View Road, Rock Creek Road, Bethany Ford Road, White Plains Road, continued over to Traphill Road, and eventually stopped on U.S. 21.
“Bennett is charged with felony fleeing to allude, careless and reckless driving, speeding, and failure to stop with blue light and siren,” said Lt. Dancy.
The pursuit ended at 5:45 p.m. after a North Carolina Highway Patrol officer used a Stop Stick to slow down the vehicle.
Stop Stick is a tire-deflation device for high-speed pursuits, whereas if properly deployed provides officers with a safe distance from the subject, yet in control of the device position via an attached cord reel that penetrates the tire and act as valves, releasing air at a safe, controlled rate.
“I was on another call when I heard a situation over the radio,” said Trooper Chris Anderson. “I got ahead of the direction where the suspect was heading, and I placed a four-foot section of the spikes on the road. The vehicle ran over the Stop Stick. You have to quickly remove the device before other law enforcement officers run over it.”
Trooper Anderson said he placed the device on Traphill Road and Roaring Gap Road.
“He was speeding toward Elkin when his tire clipped the Stop Stick,” said Trooper Anderson. “That’s when the tires started giving out on air and with nowhere else to go the suspect pulled over a couple of miles down the road in State Road.”
Trooper Anderson said a second suspect was in the car, a woman who jumped out and ran a bit before an officer apprehended her.
According to police, the woman was taken to the Ashe County Sheriff’s Department and is in custody. Her name is not being released.
A spokesperson for the department indicated that names are not necessarily released to the public for a variety of reasons to include other investigations being eyed by police.
Lt. Dancy said the chase reached speeds of about 70 mph and there were no sustained injuries. Dancy indicated that approximately nine different law enforcement vehicles were involved in the chase.
“Thankfully, there were no serious injuries,” he said.
Reach Anthony Gonzalez at 336-835-1513 or email at agonzalez@civitasmedia.com.
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