Burke County deputies are searching for a 48-year-old Hickory man accused of assaulting emergency personnel and failing to appear in court on multiple pending charges. James Charlie Parker, II, born August 18, 1978, has outstanding warrants in Burke County and has not yet been located by law enforcement officers.
According to a Burke County Sheriff's Office Most Wanted post on Facebook, Parker faces three counts of assault inflicting physical injury on an emergency person, two counts of assault on a female, one count of simple assault, and a failure-to-appear charge covering all of his pending cases. His last known address is listed as 6430 Country Valley Road in Hickory.
The Burke County Sheriff's Office, led by Sheriff Robert “Banks” Hinceman, is based in the county seat of Morganton.
What the Charges Could Mean Under North Carolina Law
Parker's most serious listed charges are three counts of assault inflicting physical injury on an emergency person. North Carolina law classifies certain assaults against emergency personnel as Class I felonies. Physical injuries can be minor and may not require medical attention.
His two assault-on-a-female counts are Class A1 misdemeanors, the highest misdemeanor level in North Carolina, applicable to adult men 18 or older and punishable by up to 150 days in jail per count, per the Fanney Law Office's breakdown of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-33(c)(2).
The simple assault charge against Parker is the least severe of the group, classified as a Class 2 misdemeanor punishable by up to 60 days in custody. Unlike his other charges, simple assault under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-33(a) does not require proof of physical injury or a specific victim class, according to a statutory explainer from Aberle & Connolly Law.
Parker's Failure-to-Appear Listing
The Burke County Sheriff's Most Wanted post lists a failure-to-appear charge covering Parker's pending cases.
The Burke County Sheriff's Office has an online Most Wanted bulletin. Hoodline has covered a similar case involving a Valdese man wanted after missing court; the article was published September 9, 2026.
How to Report a Tip
The sheriff's office is asking anyone with information on Parker's whereabouts to contact the department directly at 828-438-5500 or by email at [email protected]. Residents who prefer to remain anonymous can also reach Morganton-Burke Crime Stoppers by phone at 828-437-3333 or by text, with potential cash rewards available for tips leading to an arrest.
Parker is listed on the Burke County Sheriff's Most Wanted page.
