Man charged with leading police on high-speed chase

Salisbury police say the driver of this SUV led officers on a nearly 15-minute pursuit through Salisbury and Granite Quarry at speeds of 80 to 100 miles per hour. No one was injured, and the SUV was the only vehicle damaged. It drove over a police stop stick and ran into this dirt bank at the intersection of Old Concord and Hill roads. Photo by Karissa Minn, Salisbury Post.

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SALISBURY — A high-speed chase on busy Salisbury and Granite Quarry streets ended Friday afternoon with only one damaged vehicle and no injuries.

Matthew Oglesby, 27, of 310 Union Heights Blvd. in Salisbury, is being charged with felony speeding to elude and careless and reckless driving. Salisbury police say he reached 100 miles per hour and attempted to run over an officer during the chase.

According to Lt. Tom Wilsey with the Salisbury Police Department, an investigation of a larceny at 210 Ludwig Ave. led officers to Oglesby’s address. Oglesby then took off in his green Jeep Grand Cherokee, Wilsey said.

The police pursuit began at 4:45 p.m. and ended nearly 15 minutes later.

Speeding at 80 to 100 miles per hour on city streets, Oglesby drove toward Granite Quarry on U.S. 52 before heading back toward Salisbury, police say. The vehicle changed direction several times and eventually turned onto Faith Road and then Heilig Road.

Instead of driving onto Interstate 85, police say, Oglesby turned right toward downtown Salisbury on Old Concord Road, where he ran over a stop stick laid out by police. The resulting tire damage caused the Jeep to careen into a grassy bank at the Gold Hill Road intersection.

Wilsey said Oglesby’s vehicle matches the description of one that eluded East Spencer police earlier Friday.

Oglesby may also face charges from the East Spencer and Granite Quarry police departments. The Salisbury Police Department is still investigating, Wiley said, and it may add more charges for the danger Oglesby posed to officers and civilians.