Man allegedly leads officers on high-speed chase after being identified as a suspect in common law robbery
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on December 6, 2017 1:32 PM
News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Wayne County Sheriff's Office detectives walk suspect Dennis James Martin Jr., 37, out of the sheriff's annex. Martin reportedly fled from officers when they found him Wednesday morning after he allegedly snatched a woman's purse Tuesday night at a McDonald's.
News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Wayne County Sheriff's Office detectives Scott Mohiser, in blue, and Eric Pierce, escort suspect Dennis James MArtin Jr. out of the sheriff's annex.
News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Dennis James Martin Jr., 37, is put in the back of a detective's patrol vehicle after leading officers on a chase that reached more than 100 mph
A man suspected of snatching a purse will now face many more charges after leading officers on a high-speed chase on U.S. 70 this morning and allegedly trying to run over a Wayne County Sheriff's Office captain throwing down stop sticks.
Dennis James Martin Jr., 37, of 279 Brock Road, is charged with common law robbery, assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury and larceny from the person, with more charges expected from the chase.
Detective Sgt. Scott Mohiser said the chase reached speeds upward of 100 mph, and at one point Martin ran through a fence and continued to drive with it on his car "toting it with him like a great big battering ram."
It began in the parking lot of Advance Auto Parts on West Grantham Street when officers got wind of Martin's location.
He was accused of stealing a 56-year-old woman's purse inside a McDonald's at 2740 U.S. 117 South Tuesday night.
The woman chased him and reached inside his 1997 Oldsmobile to try and turn the engine off when he jumped in and tried to drive away. The woman grabbed the seal of the vehicle window and Martin allegedly drove off, dragging her with him.
She was flung from the car when Martin jerked the vehicle abruptly, a report said. The victim was taken to Wayne UNC Health Care and treated.
Warrants were secured on Martin for the crime, and he allegedly ran from officers when they found him in the parking lot of Advance Auto Parts this morning.
Mohiser said Martin took off down U.S. 70 West and led officers past R.A. Jeffrey's before turning down a road leading toward W.T.'s Guns.
It was at this moment in the chase where Martin ran through a fence and law enforcement said he began driving around with it on the front of his car like a "battering ram."
Martin then made his way back onto the highway and headed back toward Goldsboro.
Mohiser said Capt. Brian Dawson was throwing out stop sticks near the intersection of U.S. 70 and Carolina Circle when Martin pointed his car at the sheriff's captain and tried unsuccessfully to hit him.
The chase continued with Martin turning off onto Claridge Nursery Road, where the chase ended when deputies were able to stop his car.
He was taken into custody and down to the Wayne County sheriff's annex to be interviewed.
Martin was then taken to the magistrate's office and charged for the offenses relates to Tuesday night's incident.