TAYLORSVILLE, N.C. — A car chase in Alexander County ended after the suspect crashed his own car into the sally port at the sheriff's office, according to deputies.
The Alexander County Sheriff's Office said in a news release the chase unfolded around 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 11. Reports of a reckless driver traveling through fences and yards in the Sugar Loaf area were called in, prompting deputies and troopers with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol to respond.
The sheriff's office said they ended up finding a white Dodge Durango SUV on Black Oak Ridge Road, being driven erratically and failing to stop. Responding officers, including the Taylorsville Police Department, started chasing. Stop sticks were used at the intersection of Black Oak Ridge Road and Jay Burke Road, but deputies say the suspect driver swerved to avoid them. Taylorsville officers used stop sticks again at Mountain Laurel Lane near Old Wilkesboro Road, but the driver again avoided them.
The chase continued to West Main Avenue, then to 2nd Street SW and onto NC-16 South before turning onto Commercial Park Avenue. The car entered a gravel lot owned by Alexander County, and deputies say they exited their patrol cars. However, the car accelerated toward the officers and hit two patrol cars, forcing officers to jump out of the way to avoid being hit.
The driver then turned into the parking lot of the sheriff's office, where surveillance video captured footage of the car crashing into the exit door of the sally port and finally stopping. At that point, officers moved in to make an arrest. Deputies say the driver, identified as 33-year-old Brantly Lee Minton of Stony Point, did not follow verbal commands, and resisted officers as he was placed under arrest.
Minton is now charged with fleeing or eluding arrest with a motor vehicle, three counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a government official, driving with a revoked license, reckless driving to endanger, and a misdemeanor count of injury to personal property. He was placed under a $350,000 secured bond and made his first appearance in court on Monday, Sept. 13.