By Steve Steiner
Managing Editor
editor@elkintribune.com


According to a report filed by the Yadkin County Sheriff's Office, at around 3:16 a.m. Tuesday, Officer Mark Cain with the Yadkinville Police Department ran a license tag search on a 1993 Toyota truck driving on U.S. 421 North.

When the tag came back as being stolen, Cain attempted to catch up to the vehicle. During his pursuit, he advised all units it appeared as if there were two people in the truck.

Also approaching the vehicle was Deputy Shore, who was catching up to the vehicle when it was on Baltimore Road.

The driver of the Toyota truck entered onto Interstate 77 North, at which point Jonesville Police Department officers Sloan and Vestal activated their lights and sirens. However, the sheriff's report stated the vehicle then sped up and traveled on several roads throughout Yadkin County.

It was not until Officer Baker with the Boonville Police Department was able to bring the vehicle to a halt, by setting down spike strips, which the vehicle struck, causing the truck to drive into a soybean field before coming to a stop of Longtown Road.

The suspect then exited the truck and began to flee.

The K-9 unit of the sheriff's office brought in Deputy Weis and Brix. Another member of the sheriff's office, Deputy Norman, located the suspect, later identified as John David Swink, 30, of 2191 Mt. Olive Church Road, Newton, and arrested him without incident.

Swink, who claimed he was uninjured, admitted that he had marijuana in the vehicle. The report stated he was unsteady and his speech was slurred. Swink was served with a warrant of larceny of a motor vehicle, cited and arrested.

Charges against Swink include driving while intoxicated -- alcohol and/or drugs; criminal damage to property; possessing/concealing stolen property; resisting arrest; driving while license revoked; and failure to heed lights.