A weekend traffic stop that did not go as planned turned into a cross-county chase, a bomb scare, and a church parking lot takedown in Taylorsville, according to local authorities.
On Saturday, a driver led deputies on a pursuit that started in Catawba County and ended in the parking lot of First Baptist Church in Taylorsville. After the vehicle came to a stop, law enforcement treated it as a potential explosives scene, calling in hazardous-device teams and briefly shutting down nearby roads while they checked it out. No explosive device was found, no one was hurt, and the driver was taken into custody without further incident.
In a news release shared via the Alexander County Sheriff's Office, officials say the chase began when a Catawba County deputy tried to pull over a vehicle on NC Highway 16. The driver reportedly refused to stop and continued north into Taylorsville. Dispatchers relayed updated information on the suspect and the vehicle to Alexander County as the pursuit moved across the line. The chase wrapped up in the church parking lot, where deputies say the driver got out of the car and was detained.
Taylorsville Police Department and the North Carolina Highway Patrol assisted on scene, while Taylorsville Fire Department and Alexander County EMS were put on standby as a precaution. Hazardous-device units from Gaston County and the Gastonia Police Department were brought in to inspect and clear the vehicle, according to the release. Roads in the immediate area were temporarily closed while investigators worked through their safety checks.
Authorities identified the suspect as 43-year-old Shaun Brian Jones of Grand Isle, Louisiana. According to Alexander County, Jones faces charges of assault on a government official, resisting arrest, failure to stop for blue light and siren, and flee to elude with a motor vehicle. The release states he is being held at the Alexander County Detention Center on a secured bond of $90,000, with an additional $30,000 secured bond in Catawba County. Jones is scheduled for his first appearance in Alexander County District Court on Monday, Feb. 16, 2026, per the Alexander County Sheriff's Office.
Secret Service Tip And Multiagency Response
The release notes that the Catawba County Sheriff's Office had been contacted by the United States Secret Service on Feb. 14, with agents asking for help locating Jones in the area of Riverbend Park. That request helped trigger the multiagency effort that followed. Officials say the case remains under active investigation as agencies coordinate evidence collection and follow up on leads, and they cautioned that details could shift as more information is developed.
What Comes Next
Jones is expected to go before a district court judge, where prosecutors and a magistrate will address the formal charges, bond, and any potential transfer issues between Alexander and Catawba counties. Local law enforcement has emphasized that several agencies are involved and that further details will be released when appropriate. For context on other recent high-profile police responses in the region, see a previous standoff in Alexander County reported last year.
