By Shelley Smith
ssmith@salisburypost.com
A Salisbury man’s attempt to hide from officers was foiled late Saturday after a Salisbury Police officer stepped on him while he was lying in a wooded area off of Sunset Drive.
The search through the dark woods by K-9 Karina and Officer J.M. Cottingham, found Joseph Patrick Lightsey II, lying in the woods. Joshua D. Pruitt was also found, and police say the two had just broken into vehicles along Sunset Drive.
The search began when a resident of Sunset Drive called Salisbury Police Saturday night after hearing a strange noise outside. Several officers arrived, saturating the area, police said.
Lightsey was wearing a backpack, which contained a passport, checkbook, laptop and other property that had been taken from other vehicles in the area, police said.
“This type of guy works off of targeted opportunity,” Deputy Chief Steve Whitley said.
Lightsey, 24, of the streets of Salisbury, was charged with at least five felony counts of breaking and entering of motor vehicles, several misdemeanor larceny charges and one charge of failure to appear. He was given a $10,000 secured bond.
Joshua D. Pruitt, 17, of 412 S. Yadkin Ave., Spencer, was charged with at least five felony counts of breaking and entering motor vehicles and several counts of misdemeanor larceny. He was released on a written promise to appear in court.
Lightsey, originally of Greenville County, S.C., was charged in December 2008 by the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office with assault and battery with intent to kill, driving while license suspended and threatening the life of a public officer after a report said he struck an officer with his car, according to television station WYFF in Greenville.