BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. — A man in western North Carolina is accused of stealing from the very neighbor he helped save when Helene wrought destruction in the mountains.
WLOS-TV in Asheville reports that 38-year-old Tyson Emrys Neal Pike reportedly helped Bill Midkiff and his daughter, Caitlyn, escape from Midkiff's home in Black Mountain as it was swept away in a landslide. The Midkiffs were seriously hurt, with Bill Midkiff requiring a stay in a nearby hospital.
However, Midkiff received an alert on his phone that his credit card had been declined. He told WLOS he didn't even know where it was at the time.
A detective with the Buncombe County Sheriff's Office started digging and found Pike on surveillance camera using another neighbor's credit card to buy groceries at a Walmart. An arrest affidavit reveals Pike reportedly took Midkiff's credit card and loaded $772.50 onto a cash-sharing app. He is also accused of stealing Midkiff's rifle.
Pike faces the following charges:
- Felony possession of a Schedule II controlled substance
- Felony financial card theft
- Felony financial card fraud
- Felony trespass during an emergency
- Felony larceny of a firearm
He's also charged with two misdemeanors: possession of stolen goods and possession of drug paraphernalia.
WLOS notes Pike posted a $6,000 bond. Midkiff shared his disappointment with the situation and that he and the other neighbor Pike is accused of stealing from have to rebuild in Helene's wake.
