A 71-year-old Aberdeen man was arrested after reportedly leading police on a vehicle chase Friday night after officers attempted to serve an unrelated warrant.
According to the Aberdeen Police Department, officers initially responded on March 6 to a residence in Aberdeen to serve a warrant that had been obtained by a victim through the Moore County Magistrate’s Office. Officers were reportedly allowed into the home but were unable to locate the suspect, authorities said.
Shortly afterward, officers observed Joseph Cheeks Sr. arriving in a nearby driveway in a vehicle. When officers approached and made contact, Cheeks allegedly refused to exit the vehicle and drove away.
Officers followed in marked patrol vehicles, but Cheeks reportedly failed to stop. A deputy with the Moore County Sheriff’s Office attempted to assist in stopping the vehicle.
According to police, Cheeks committed several traffic violations during the pursuit and allegedly swerved his vehicle toward a sheriff’s deputy who was assisting in the effort to stop him.
The pursuit ended when Cheeks turned onto a dead-end road and was apprehended near Providence Place in Aberdeen.
Cheeks is facing the following charges: felony fleeing to elude arrest with a motor vehicle, felony assault with a deadly weapon on a government official, three counts of misdemeanor resisting a public officer, misdemeanor aggressive driving, misdemeanor failure to heed lights and sirens, misdemeanor reckless driving, and failure to maintain lane control.
Police said Cheeks was also served with an unrelated warrant for misdemeanor communicating threats and misdemeanor assault on a female.
He was taken before a Moore County magistrate and ordered held without bond as a condition of pretrial release.
All charges are allegations, and Cheeks is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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Photo of Joseph Cheeks via Aberdeen Police Department. On-scene photo by Sandhills Sentinel publisher BJ Goodridge
