By Shavonne Potts
spotts@salisburypost.com
A Lexington man took law enforcement on a chase that stretched through four counties early Saturday morning.
The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office said Thomas Sonny Brown, 32, of Burgess Road, failed to stop at a license checkpoint at Long Ferry Road and Long Street.
He was charged with felony fleeing to elude arrest, possession of drug paraphernalia, reckless driving, no operator’s license and open container.
The chase began sometime around 3 a.m.
“He drove through the checkpoint and increased his speed,” said Sgt. C.D. Williams of the Sheriff’s Office.
Williams said he attempted to stop Brown who kept driving and a chase ensued.
Additional officers joined the chase, including the N.C. Highway Patrol, Misenheimer Police and the Stanly County Sheriff’s Office.
Officers deployed stop sticks three times, but Brown drove around them.
A Rowan Sheriff’s deputy drove near the Stanly and Rowan county line and deployed the third and final set of stop sticks on a section of road that Brown couldn’t maneuver around.
The sticks were placed on a two-lane stretch of road with a guardrail on either side. Brown stopped short of the stop sticks.
The chase began in Rowan County, went through Davidson County, Montgomery County and ended in Stanly County after 45.3 miles and 45 minutes.
Brown was arrested at N.C. 49 near U.S. 52 in Stanly County.
Williams said the fastest speed was about 70 mph.
Brown was arrested without incident.
Williams said neither Brown nor any officers involved was injured. And no cars were damaged during the chase.
“It was a good team effort between the different law enforcement agencies,” Williams said.
The officer said Brown had been drinking, but a field sobriety test showed his alcohol content was below the legal 0.08 limit.
There were several open bottles of alcoholic drinks in the car.
Brown remains in the Rowan County Detention Center a $100,000 bond.
Contact Shavonne Potts at 704-797-4253.