Officer Richard Davis fired a shot in the air when one of the fleeing men appeared to reach into his jacket. Officers later found a blue-handled Tarus revolver in the ditch where Davis had ordered the man to stop.

Davis held Paul Jerome Andrade of 6025 Foster Road, Woodleaf, at gunpoint until Lt. David Miller and Officer Tim Drew arrived.

Chief Michael Bentley said the incident started just after 1 a.m. Thursday morning when Davis was returning to the Police Department after completing a special drug assignment.

Davis was driving an unmarked police car north on South Main Street when he observed a black Nissan weaving in the roadway in front of him.

Davis watched the car continue going 50 mph as it entered the 25 mph zone.

As he attempted to stop the car near the Police Department, the Nissan appeared to pull over, then turned onto Ketchie Street and sped off.

Davis pursued the car along Ketchie Street to N.C. 152 and then west on N.C. 152 to Brown Road. The Nissan went as fast as 70 mph, according to Davis.

Shortly after the car turned onto Brown Road, Davis lost sight of it.

Bentley said he began searching and as he neared the 1100 block of Brown Road, he spotted lights.

He found the Nissan flipped upside down at the crest of a hill.

Davis saw two men running across a field, and a third struggling to get out of the wrecked car.

The man managed to crawl through the broken car window just as Davis stopped his police car.

A foot chase ensued, until Davis caught up, pulled his weapon and told the suspect to stop. At that point, Davis fired a single warning shot.

After Andrade was taken into custody, a Salisbury police dog and officer joined the search for the two other men. Bentley said the dog lost the trail in a nearby cow pasture.

Andrade is charged with felony speeding to elude arrest, carrying a concealed weapon, no operator’s license, consuming a malt beverage while driving, speeding and a stop sign violation. The N.C. Highway Patrol also charged Andrade with driving while impaired.

The 1986 Nissan was a total loss.