A masked man allegedly struck the driver-side window of a Denver, North Carolina man's SUV twice with a metallic object before the driver managed to turn his vehicle around and flee, according to law enforcement. The driver, who asked to be identified only as Stacey because of personal security concerns, said the confrontation unfolded around 5 p.m. at the intersection of Highway 16 and Optimist Club Road last Wednesday. Deputies soon arrested a 28-year-old Charlotte man in connection with the attempted break-in.
According to WSOC-TV, Stacey said he watched the masked individual approach and eye his vehicle at the intersection before the man attempted to shatter his window. Stacey relayed details about the suspect to law enforcement after escaping, and Lincoln County Sheriff's Office deputies located Andres Rodriguez shortly after the report came in, apprehending him following a short foot pursuit.
The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office confirmed the attempted vehicle break-in occurred on September 23 when deputies responded to the Highway 16 and Optimist Club Road intersection following the driver's emergency report. Detective T. Glover has been assigned to lead the investigation and is asking anyone with additional information to contact the sheriff's office at 704-732-9050.
Charges and Bond
Rodriguez was charged with attempted breaking and entering of a motor vehicle, along with resisting, delaying, or obstructing a public officer. Under North Carolina General Statutes § 14-56, breaking or entering into a motor vehicle containing goods or items of value with intent to commit a felony or larceny is classified as a Class I felony, per the same statute cited by the UNC School of Government. The resisting-an-officer charge, under N.C.G.S. § 14-223, carries a Class 2 misdemeanor classification, punishable by up to 60 days in jail.
Rodriguez was given a $20,000 secured bond and placed in the Harven A. Crouse Detention Center in Lincolnton, the county's primary facility for holding pretrial detainees awaiting bond or court proceedings. The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office operates under Sheriff Bill Beam, who was sworn into his second term overseeing deputy operations across unincorporated communities including Denver in December 2022.
A High-Speed Corridor Known for U-Turns
The intersection where the confrontation happened is no ordinary crossroads. NC Highway 16 and Optimist Club Road features a Restricted Crossing U-Turn design, commonly called a superstreet, installed by the North Carolina Department of Transportation to manage high-speed corridor traffic without full traffic signals. That layout requires drivers to turn right and complete median U-turns rather than making direct left turns, a detail that helps explain the traffic pattern Stacey was navigating when the masked man approached.
Statutory amendments to N.C.G.S. § 14-56 that took effect in December 2023 also created felony sentencing enhancements up to a Class H felony for motor vehicle break-ins, based on the aggregated monetary value of property taken over a 90-day period, according to the same UNC School of Government analysis. North Carolina recorded an estimated 1,968 property crimes per 100,000 residents in 2024, a rate 11.8% higher than the national average, per a report from the Law Offices of Shelby.
Detectives Active Across the Corridor
The Highway 16 corridor has seen more than one property crime investigation this month. On the same day Rodriguez's case made headlines, Lincoln County Sheriff's Office detectives announced the arrest of a Maiden man connected to a separate series of September vehicle and business break-ins in Denver, recovering $30,000 in stolen equipment, according to WSOC-TV. It remains unclear whether the two cases are connected. For now, Stacey is left with a damaged window and a story about turning his SUV around just in time.
