Miles-long, high-speed chase ends in arrest

Aug. 29--LENOIR -- A man driving a stolen car led police and deputies on a high-speed chase Friday from Lenoir all the way to around the Burke County line before officers were able to puncture the car's tires and stop him, a Lenoir Police Department press release said.

Just before 11 a.m. a Lenoir police officer saw a 1987 Toyota Supra at the intersection of Civic Court and Fairview Drive that had been spray-painted black, which made the officer think of a white Toyota Supra that had been reported stolen July 24 from the parking lot of Mountaineer Motors on Morganton Boulevard, the press release said. After confirming that the stolen car had not been found, he ran a check on the black Toyota's license plate, which he learned had been revoked.

The officer turned on his car's blue lights to pull over the Toyota, but the Toyota's driver sped away, the press release said. The chase wound south through the city to Norwood Street and then Connelly Springs Road, where Caldwell County sheriff's deputies took over.

The chase reached speeds as high as 95 mph. Farther south on Connelly Springs Road, near Castle Bridge, the N.C. Highway Patrol put out "stop sticks," which puncture a car's tires. After running over the stop sticks the Toyota went about a quarter-mile before stopping, and the driver jumped out and tried to run away, the press release said. Deputies caught up to him quickly.

David Lee Gross, 25, of Morglea Avenue in Connelly Springs was charged with felony fleeing to elude arrest; unsafe movement; driving while license revoked; reckless driving; driving the wrong way on a street with double yellow lines; aggressive driving; fictitious registration; no insurance; unsafe passing; speeding in a work zone; following too closely; and possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond was set at $100,000 secured.

Lenoir police also will seek a grand jury indictment on charges of felony auto larceny and felony possession of stolen goods, according to the release.

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