Pursuit ends in wreck, long list of offenses

Feb. 28-- Feb. 28--A Warsaw man wanted on charges in two counties led law enforcement on a high-speed chase that began with a female flagging down deputies about the man who allegedly assaulted her and ended in a wreck.

Derrick Lamont Hooper, 50, of Warsaw, was officially arrested shortly after 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, according to reports. That came nearly 12 hours after an incident that began when Sampson County Sheriff's deputies were flagged down by a female motorist on Railroad Street in Clinton around 4:40 p.m. Tuesday.

The female said Hooper, who she had taken out warrants on for assault, was following her, according to reports. Deputies attempted to stop the suspect vehicle, but the vehicle failed to yield, Sheriff's Lt. Marcus Smith said.

Deputies pursued the vehicle down N.C. 24 East, onto Cabin Museum Road and then onto Old Warsaw Road, back toward N.C. 24 East. Stop sticks were deployed on the suspect vehicle on Old Warsaw Road, but were not successful, Smith noted.

"The driver lost control of their vehicle and struck an embankment, which overturned their vehicle," said Smith. "Deputies extracted the suspect from the vehicle to safety and took the suspect into custody. During a search of the vehicle, several knives and a bat were located."

The suspect was reportedly transported to the Sampson Regional Medical Emergency Department, where he was treated and released.

Hooper was charged with reckless driving to endanger, speeding, driving left of center, resisting public officer, fleeing to elude arrest with a motor vehicle, uusafe passing in crest or curve, failure to heed light or siren and driving while license revoked.

He was also served active warrants on assault on a female, out of Duplin County, and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, out of Pender County.

Following the incident, the female victim told authorities that Hooper rammed her vehicle prior to her flagging down deputies. Along with the female, there were two other adults and a child in her vehicle at the time.

That brought an additional three counts of assault with a deadly weapon with a minor present and single counts of assault on a child under 12.

Hooper was placed in the Sampson County Detention Center under $102,500 secured bond.

Harrells man arrested

In a separate pursuit, also on Tuesday, a Harrells resident was charged after a deputy observed his vehicle operating without a headlamp.

According to reports, a deputy observed a vehicle traveling west on N.C. 41 with one headlamp and attempted to stop it, when the vehicle failed to yield.

"After a brief pursuit, the vehicle pulled into a mobile home park and the suspect attempted to flee on foot," Smith stated. "The deputy took the suspect into custody without further incident and he was charged."

The arrest occurred at 11:16 p.m. Tuesday.

The driver, Jeffery Shane Moore, 22, of 1986 Wallace Hwy., Harrells, was subsequently charged with fleeing to elude arrest with a motor vehicle, reckless driving to endanger, fictitious registration plate, exceeding posted speed limit, driving left of center, failing to stop at stop sign, driving without two headlamps, driving while license revoked, no insurance and inspection violation.

His bond was set at $7,500 secured.

Editor Chris Berendt can be reached at 910-592-8137 ext. 2587.

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