CLEVELAND COUNTY, N.C. — The man accused of shooting at deputies and leading them on a chase in a stolen car across county lines before an hours-long manhunt made his first appearance in court on Friday.
Jeremy Aaron Huffman will remain in jail without bond as he faces one count of attempted murder of a peace officer. A district attorney told Judge Micah Sanderson that Huffman is expected to face more charges related to the incident.
Huffman allegedly drove away from officers in Lincoln County after they spotted a stolen vehicle on Wednesday. The charge of attempted murder stems from Huffman allegedly firing at one of the deputies. He's also expected to face charges for shooting at a school bus that had three children on board.
It was revealed on Friday that Huffman previously served nine years in prison for a robbery in Georgia. Because he's a convicted felon who was found with a weapon, Huffman was denied bond until a hearing is set.
Jennifer Hughes was in the car with Huffman when he crashed in Shelby. She was arrested at the scene and charged with obstruction of justice.
"Knowing that he was trying to escape was sort of a relief because he had no reason to stick around," a man who lives near where Huffman was captured said. "But you don't know with someone who's accused of what he's been accused of what they'll do if someone gets in the way of their escape."
If Huffman is found guilty of the attempted murder charge, he could spend the next nine years in prison.
Contact Richard DeVayne at rdevayne@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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