By Nathan Hardin
nhardin@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY — Police Capt. Shelia Lingle was on her way back to the department for National Night Out Tuesday afternoon when she saw residents near Old Mocksville Road trying to flag her down.
Before she could stop, a man pulled out onto the two-lane thoroughfare and lost control of the vehicle.
Lingle said she turned her patrol car around and chased the man to a nearby residential area.
Lingle said she found evidence that the man drove through a backyard fence and hit at least one mailbox at a home on Canteberry Drive.
It also appeared he did a donut in one of the yards, she said.
A mechanic named Pete, who declined to give his last name, said he was working on an air conditioning unit beside a home on Wellington Drive when he heard the commotion.
“I heard this crunch and crash,” he said. “About 10 seconds later I heard another one.”
Pete said Lingle asked him if he had seen anyone run by, but he hadn’t.
As soon as the officer had gone, Pete said, the accused man climbed over a nearby fence and mumbled to him.
“He tried to duck down behind the bushes,” he said.
But when Lingle came back seconds later, Pete pointed to the man and he was quickly taken into custody.
“He just kind of looked intoxicated or loopy,” Pete said.
Lingle said the man refused to give his name to officers, but alcohol is believed to be a factor.
The vehicle he was driving was registered in another person’s name, she said.
He was taken to Rowan Regional Medical Center for a blood test.
Charges are expected, she said.