SELMA – A Johnston County man and a juvenile suspect are facing multiple charges following a chase involving a motorcycle, then a foot pursuit.
Around 1:01am Thursday, Sept. 21, a deputy sheriff was on routine patrol on Branch Chapel Church Road, north of Selma, when he spotted a motorcycle stopped on the shoulder facing the wrong direction. The officer stopped to check on the operator and a second person on the bike, when it sped away while traveling in the wrong lane of travel.
The deputy tried to stop the fleeing motorcyclist but he refused to pull over, according to reports. The chase continued on several secondary roads, and eventually made its way onto NC 222 West of Kenly. While in the 11000 block of NC 222 West, the suspect turned down a gravel path and while fleeing down the path the suspect collided with a metal gate.
The operator and passenger fell off the bike to the ground. The driver, identified as Nicholas Morris Johnson, age 39, of Barber Mill Road, Clayton allegedly fled on foot but fell into a ditch. Johnson reportedly refused officers commands to surrender, and to show his hands. Johnson was tased and handcuffed.
A sheriff’s K-9 located a book bag nearby that reportedly belonged to the passenger, a juvenile suspect under age 18. The book bag reportedly contained suspected heroin, pills, and an unknown powdery substance.
Johnson was arrested on several charges including fleeing to elude arrest, speeding, driving on a revoked license, resisting a public officer, and failure to stop for a stop sign / flashing red light. He was also served with four failure to appear charges for felony cocaine possession, possession of a stolen firearm, carrying a concealed gun, and resisting a public officer. Bond was set at $310,000.
The teenage suspect will face charges in juvenile court.
The motorcycle was seized.
No injuries were reported.
