N.C. Sheriff's Deputy Dragged along Interstate Before High-Speed Chase
What to know
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A Haywood County sheriff's deputy was dragged 10 to 15 yards during a Wednesday traffic stop near Canton after a driver allegedly accelerated while the detective was at the vehicle.
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Authorities said the pursuit exceeded 100 mph before a patrol unit immobilized the vehicle near the Lake Junaluska Golf Course.
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The 31-year-old driver was charged with felony fleeing to elude arrest and felony assault with a deadly weapon on a government official.
A sheriff’s deputy was dragged along Interstate 40 when a driver decided to hit the gas during a traffic stop, according to investigators in western North Carolina.
The stop was initiated Feb. 11 near Canton, after the driver was seen speeding through a work zone, the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office said in a Feb. 13 news release.
“The vehicle stopped near Exit 27. The passenger exited the vehicle when instructed. However, when our detective approached the driver, the driver opened the door but refused multiple commands to unfasten his seatbelt,” the sheriff’s office said.
“The driver ... then accelerated and fled the scene. During the incident, our detective was dragged approximately 10–15 yards.”
The deputy sustained minor injuries, officials said. His identity has not been released.
A pursuit was initiated, and the chase exceeded speeds of 100 mph after the car exited Interstate 40 along the Great Smoky Mountains Expressway, officials said.
The vehicle was immobilized when another patrol car slammed into it near the Lake Junaluska Golf Course, officials said.
Investigators identified the driver as 31-year-old Kihrie Holmes of Spencer, N.C. He has been charged with felony fleeing to elude arrest with a motor vehicle, and felony assault with a deadly weapon on a government official, the sheriff’s office said.
His 41-year-old passenger was charged with felony possession of a controlled substance and is being held on outstanding warrants from Cherokee, officials said.
“I am thankful our deputy was not seriously injured during this incident. Fleeing from law enforcement and putting others at risk — especially in a work zone — is reckless and unacceptable,” Haywood County Sheriff Bill Wilke said in the news release.
Canton is about a 130-mile drive northwest from uptown Charlotte.
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