By Nathan Hardin
nhardin@salisburypost.com
ROCKWELL — A Rockwell man was assaulted as he tried to defend his parent’s home during a burglary Wednesday afternoon.
Christopher Lambert was injured during the attack after he saw two people carrying things from his parents’ house which is next door to his own house on Old Beatty Ford Road.
Lambert was taking his dogs out for a walk about 2:20 p.m. when he noticed the couple next door. He phoned his parents, who said they weren’t aware of it.
As Lambert began walking toward the two, a woman dropped a television she was carrying and jumped into what appeared to be a burgundy Dodge Dakota, a Rowan County Sheriff’s Office report said.
A man appeared at the home’s door and ran to the truck’s passenger side, but Lambert told officers the truck wouldn’t start.
As Lambert closed in on the truck, the man emerged from the vehicle and began assaulting him.
After the attack, the truck was started and the two fled.
Authorities used a N.C. State Highway Patrol helicopter to search the area, but they did not locate the truck, which was last seen heading east toward Lower Stone Church Road.
A description of the two suspects was not available this morning.
More than $8,000 in goods were taken from the ransacked home, including two shotguns and a rifle.
Deputies roped off the house and processed the scene for fingerprints and other evidence, the report said.
Lambert was taken to the hospital for evaluation.
The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office asks that anyone with information to contact deputies at 704-216-8700 or Detective Adam Loflin at 704- 216-8686.
Contact reporter Nathan Hardin at 704-797-4246.
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