By Shelley Smith
ssmith@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY — Two men were arrested following an attempt to avoid deputies at a traffic stop on U.S. 70.
According to a report by the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, a traffic stop was being done at the intersection of U.S. 70 and N.C. 801 Friday morning. As a silver Honda approached the intersection around 1:20 a.m., a deputy motioned for the car to stop.
But the car accelerated and nearly hit a deputy who had to jump out of the way to avoid being hit, the report said. The Honda continued to speed off toward Salisbury and officers followed, reaching speeds up to 80 mph.
The car made a sudden right turn into the entrance of Magna on Statesville Boulevard and stopped at the gate.
When officers approached the car, the car was still in drive and slowly moving forward, but there was no driver, just a man with a cast on his arm steering from the passenger seat, the report said, and three men in the back seat of the car.
Officers ordered everyone out of the car and reported smelling a strong odor of alcohol and marijuana.
James Jermaine Little, in the back seat, was found with a bag of marijuana tied to the drawstring of his pants, and placed into custody of the Sheriff’s Office.
The front passenger, Claymore Jones Jr., was also found in possession of marijuana and arrested, the report said.
When the officer who was nearly hit by the car arrived, he identified Little as the driver, the report said.
Little was taken to the Salisbury Police Department where an Intoximeter test identified his blood alcohol level as .11 percent. He and Jones were taken to the magistrate’s office.
Little, 20, of 629 W. Marsh St., Salisbury, was charged with assault with a deadly weapon, misdemeanor possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while impaired, driving while license revoked, felony fleeing to elude arrest and careless and reckless driving. He was given a $7,500 secured bond.
Jones, 22, of 628 W. Bank St., Salisbury, and a convicted felon, was charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, and given a $2,000 secured bond.