A traffic stop in Union County took an unexpected off-road turn when Timothy Rorie allegedly tried to flee, drove through a soybean field and ended up in a ditch. Deputies surrounded the field and took him into custody without incident.
Traffic Stop Turns Into Soybean-Field Detour
According to a Monday announcement from the Union County Sheriff's Office, deputies stopped Rorie during a traffic stop and asked him to exit the vehicle. He allegedly attempted to get away, drove through the soybean field and eventually drove into a ditch.
Deputies established a perimeter around the field and blocked its exits with patrol cars and personnel. The deputies also stopped their vehicles before entering the field, the office said, to avoid causing additional crop damage.
Rorie Faces Multiple Charges and $30,000 Bond
The sheriff's office said Rorie was charged with felony speeding to elude arrest, possession of a firearm by a felon, resisting, delaying or obstructing an officer, injury to crops and a window-tint violation. He was transported to the detention center and remains in custody under a $30,000 secured bond.
The announcement did not provide details about the alleged firearm, the exact speed involved or the road where the traffic stop began. Rorie has been charged, not convicted, and the allegations must be resolved in court.
What North Carolina Law Says About the Main Charges
North Carolina's speeding-to-elude statute makes fleeing from an officer a misdemeanor unless at least two listed aggravating factors are present, which can elevate the offense to a Class H felony. The sheriff's announcement did not specify which factors prosecutors may allege in this case.
State law also generally prohibits a person convicted of a felony from possessing a firearm, an offense covered by the North Carolina Felony Firearms Act. Whether the charge holds up will depend on the evidence and the court process.
Union County Has Seen Other Pursuit Arrests This Year
The arrest comes after other pursuit cases publicized by the agency. In March, the Union County Sheriff's Office said deputies arrested a driver after a chase that covered about 16.6 miles into Anson County, with the vehicle reportedly reaching more than 100 mph before deputies used stop sticks.
For Rorie, the attempted getaway ended well short of the county line—and with a soybean field, a ditch and several new charges added to the traffic stop.
