Minton Arrested after Foot Chase in W. J.

By Joel Frady

After authorities located the red Ford Probe associated with fugitive Tony Edward Minton, a 25-year-old from North Wilkesboro, they waited for him to return to the vehicle. The Probe was parked near the Re/Max insurance office on North Jefferson Avenue in West Jefferson, and authorities spotted Minton at approximately 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 30.

Lt. Detective Chris Welch of the West Jefferson Police Department said that the Probe was spotted because the was a BOLO ("Be On the Look Out for") issued for Minton due to several warrants issued in Wilkes County. When Minton returned to his vehicle, officers "went to approach him and he ran."

Officers, led by Captain Jason Finney of the WJPD, chased him through the back alleys of downtown West Jefferson before finally catching up to Minton in front of Hale Tire Company. Finney attempted to subdue the suspect with pepper spray, but the suspect ran across Jefferson Avenue and into the parking lot of Hale Tire.

"Lay down!" Finney shouted as he crossed the street, moments before Minton was finally stopped and hand-cuffed. Officers from the Ashe County Sheriff's Department, Jefferson Police Department, N.C. Highway Patrol, Ashe County Animal Patrol and the N.C. Division of Adult Probation and Parole assisted in the chase.

Finney said that, in addition to the warrants in Wilkes, Minton was running because he was in possession of methamphetamine and that he ate approximately one gram of the drug as he ran. Finney noted that "it's part of why" criminals frequently run, because "they don't want to get caught with whatever they've got" in addition to the charges they might already face.

Minton was transported to the Ashe County Jail in Jefferson, where the methamphetamine began to cause issues.

"At the jail, he was complaining of rapid pulse and chest pains," said Finney. "We called EMS to check him out and make sure that he was okay," and "they said he needed to go to the hospital."

Minton was taken to Ashe County Memorial Hospital, but Welch noted that it wasn't the first time that Minton was at the hospital that day since hospital police were the first to spot Minton in the red Probe. According to Welch, the tag on the car was "fictitious."

Minton was charged with resist, obstruct and delay and felony possession of methamphetamine by the WJPD after Thursday's incident. Chief Brian Grogan of the WJPD wanted to thank all of the agencies that assisted in the chase.

Minton wasn't just wanted in Wilkes, however. The Jefferson Police Department was also looking for Minton after a theft at Margate Health and Rehab Center, located at 540 Waugh Street in Jefferson, on Monday, April 27, at approximately 2:30 p.m.

Detective David Witherspoon of the JPD said that they received a call from Margate stating that $1,200 was missing from a money bag. Witherspoon noted that the deposit was processed by an employee who put the money bag "back in the drawer. She went to the bathroom, came back and found [Minton] standing beside [the employee's] desk."

The employee asked if Minton needed help, at which point "he asked for an application and [the employee] gave him one," said Witherspoon. Minton then departed the office, at which point the employee "noticed that the money bag was laying out and the money was gone." The employee attempted to pursue Minton, but he had already fled the scene.

Witherspoon noted that Minton had also been identified by video surveillance cameras at the hospital when "he went through the hospital … shaking door knobs and trying to get into different offices throughout the hospital" on Saturday and Sunday, April 25 and 26. The JPD has charged Minton with one count of felony larceny.

Minton was released from Ashe Memorial Hospital on Saturday, May 2, and was later transported to Central Prison in Raleigh later that afternoon.

Steve Cabe, captain of detectives for the Wilkes County Sheriff's Department, confirmed that they have six warrants for Minton: three counts of failure to comply, two counts of obtaining money and property by false pretense and one count of resist, obstruct and delay. Cabe noted that Minton was also arrested in March for breaking and entering of a motor vehicle.

Some of the incidents are still under investigation, and further charges against Minton may still be filed.