CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Texas man who led police on an hourslong chase across the Charlotte metro in July 2022 will now spend prison time for the spree.
The Charlotte Mecklenburg District Attorney's Office confirmed Friday that Tyler Harding pleaded guilty to the charges stemming from the chase. He will now face two consecutive prison sentences of 10-21 months behind bars, meaning he could spend a maximum of just under four years in prison or as little as less than two years.
Harding pleaded guilty to the following list of charges:
- one count of felony hit-and-run inflicting injury
- one count of felony fleeing to elude
- two counts of larceny of a motor vehicle
- one count of possession of a stolen motor vehicle
- one count of felony breaking and entering
- one count of breaking and entering a motor vehicle
- one count of felony larceny
Harding, then 26 years old at the time, led police on a chase that lasted about two hours, ending in a violent crash in the South End area. He stole a total of four cars during the spree. His sister, Christa Brooke Harding, also faced a charge for her involvement.
The chase, which started in west Charlotte as a reported break-in according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, went as far north as I-77 and Sunset Road and even across the state line into Lancaster County, South Carolina.
Harding and his sister were both from the town of Elgin, Texas, located about 26 miles east of the state capital of Austin. Police noted Harding was new to the area and had a criminal history from Texas. He still had pending charges against him in the Lone Star State, but did not accept extradition back.