A 29-year-old Jacksonville man is facing an assault with a deadly weapon charge after police say he tried to strike another man with his vehicle Wednesday. Aries Eaves was arrested and has since been released after posting a secured bond, according to investigators.
Police allege Eaves drove a vehicle at unsafe speeds and attempted to strike a man, according to a warrant cited by WCTI. The Jacksonville Police Department is investigating the case, and Eaves was formally charged Wednesday with assault with a deadly weapon.
How a Vehicle Becomes a Deadly Weapon Under NC Law
North Carolina courts have long recognized that a car can legally count as a deadly weapon depending on how it's driven. State v. Allen, a 2008 North Carolina Court of Appeals decision, concerned the use of fists in an assault and did not establish that a vehicle operated toward a person can be a deadly weapon, according to FindLaw.
That distinction matters for how serious Eaves's legal exposure could become. Under North Carolina General Statute § 14-33(c)(1), an assault with a deadly weapon that doesn't cause serious injury or involve intent to kill is a Class A1 misdemeanor, punishable by up to 150 days in jail, per the Manning Law Firm. But § 14-32 covers assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, while § 14-32.4 covers assault inflicting serious bodily injury as a Class F felony, according to the Tetterton Law Firm.
Secured Bond and the Path to Release
Eaves's release on a secured bond followed the standard process spelled out in North Carolina General Statute § 15A-534, which requires a magistrate or judicial official to weigh offense severity, flight risk, and criminal history before setting pretrial conditions. Those conditions can range from a simple written promise to appear all the way up to a secured bond requiring cash, property collateral, or a bail bondsman, per the Powers Law Firm.
Because charges in North Carolina are brought and controlled by the state rather than by individual victims, the case against Eaves will move forward based on the evidence prosecutors gather rather than on any private dispute between the parties, according to the Manning Law Firm. The North Carolina Conference of District Attorneys identifies Ernie Lee and Onslow County matters, but does not confirm that the Eaves case falls under Prosecutorial District 5 or will proceed at the Onslow County Courthouse in Jacksonville.
A Department Under New Leadership
The investigation falls to a Jacksonville Police Department currently led by Interim Chief Ashley Weaver, who was sworn in on June 26 and became the department's first female interim chief after serving almost 28 years with the department, according to the City of Jacksonville. The department has held continuous national accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies since 1991.
This case adds to a string of recent violent-assault arrests in the city. Hoodline previously reported on a Jacksonville boiling water assault and covered a July 4 felony assault suspect held without bond, both involving Onslow County or local courts. Details on whether prosecutors intend to pursue misdemeanor or felony charges against Eaves have not been released.
