Staff Report
FAITH ó A handcuffed man escaped from Granite Quarry police officers Tuesday afternoon and then eluded additional officers, tracking dogs and a helicopter that joined the search.
Granite Quarry Police Sgt. Todd Taylor said felony warrants have been issued for Michael Dean Severt, of 1205 Oakwood Ave., Kannapolis.
Police Chief Clyde Adams asked that anyone with information about Severt call 911 or contact Granite Quarry Police through the Rowan County Communications Center at 704-216-8500.
In a press release, officer Taylor gave this account of the incident:
About 3 p.m. Tuesday, officers were dispatched to the business area of Faith, where they found a man and woman causing a disturbance in front of the old Faith fire department.
Someone told the officers the man had drugs on him.
“A bag of narcotics was found on the subject, and a consent search of the vehicle revealed additional items,” Taylor wrote.
Adams clarified that Severt had a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia on him. He added the man is not considered dangerous. Authorities just want him in custody.
“After handcuffing the male suspect, he was able to flee from the arresting officers and a foot chase ensued.”
The man ran through the school yard of nearby Faith Elementary School, “and the school was immediately placed in lockdown,” Taylor wrote.
The man ran into woods on Gardener Street, and officers set up a perimeter with the help of Rowan County Sheriff’s deputies and Rockwell police officers.
Sheriff’s dogs tried to track the suspect, and the N.C. Highway Patrol helicopter joined the search.
“After two attempts to track the suspect, a bloodhound from the N.C. Department of Correction also attempted to track the suspect,” Taylor wrote.
The Rowan County Incident Command Unit from the Rowan County Telecommunications Center also assisted, but Severt remained free.
Police described him as a white man with black hair and a mustache. He’s about 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs about 165 pounds. Officers last saw him wearing black boots, black pants, Camo Realtree shirt and black baseball cap.
He was still wearing silver, hinged handcuffs.