Student charged in motorcycle chase

Kranz

By Jessie Burchette

jburchette@salisburypost.com

A motorcyclist led deputies and police on a chase Sunday night with speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour on Old Concord and Old Beatty Ford roads.

Kyle Gregory Kranz, 20, of Rockwell, later surrendered to Rowan County Sheriff's deputies, telling them he ran because he was scared. Kranz, a college student now living in Charlotte, also told deputies he "felt like his life is ruined" after being charged with felony fleeing to elude arrest.

Reports indicate the chase began around 9:20 p.m. when Deputy John Roach spotted a man on a black motorcycle going 70 mph in a 55 mph zone on Old Concord Road near N.C. 152.

Roach followed and turned on blue lights and attempted to stop the biker. At that point the motorcycle sped up, continued down Old Concord to Roy Cline Road, making a left turn and then right on to Old Beatty Ford, heading east.

As they approached Lowerstone Church Road, Roach lost sight of the bike when it hit speeds of more than 100 mph. Roach ceased pursuit and relied on other deputies and policemen in the area trying to locate the biker.

Minutes later, a Rockwell police officer spotted the biker going over 100 mph on Emmanuel Church Road. The officer briefly pursued the biker, who turned on to Ginn Road and disappeared.

Minutes later, Deputy Carmen Williams and other officers began searching an access road along the railroad tracks off Ginn Road.

Williams spotted the black, 209 Triumph Daytona 675 bike abandoned on the road.

About the same time, other officers searching the train tracks near U.S. 52 saw a dark colored Mustang stop and appear to pick up someone.

While deputies worked to locate the Mustang, Williams got the owner registration information on the bike, showing the owner as Logan Edwards of Granite Quarry.

When officers contacted Edwards, he said he had loaned the bike to Kranz.

Deputies then located Kranz's mother, who tracked him down by cell phone. He had been taking a shower at a home on Lower Palmer Road. She agreed to bring him to the Rockwell Police Department to face charges.

Kranz was placed in the Rowan County Detention Center under $5,000 bond.