SALISBURY — A Salisbury man was convicted this week in a three-day jury trial of attempted felony second-degree kidnapping and felony larceny.

Clayton Garrett Byers, 38, was convicted in Rowan County Criminal Superior Court. He was sentenced by Judge Anna Mills Wagoner to 25 months to 39 months in prison, along with a consecutive sentence of 11 months to 23 months.

Before the trial, Byers entered a guilty plea to related charges of felony fleeing to elude arrest and misdemeanor resisting a public officer.

A woman told investigators that she was getting into her vehicle on Aug. 14 at Walgreens on East Innes Street when she found a man later identified as Byers inside her vehicle holding a metal bar.

Byers told the woman to drive, and she yelled at him to get out of her vehicle. Detectives with the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, who were also at Walgreens, heard the woman.

Byers then jumped into the driver’s seat of the vehicle, struck a post in the parking lot, and drove away. Sheriff’s detectives, along with officers with the Salisbury Police Department, pursued Byers, who was speeding and driving recklessly. He was later found at a home on Fair Bluff Avenue.

Byers was previously convicted of driving while impaired, assault on a female and larceny, among other charges.

Rowan County District Attorney Brandy Cook said she appreciates the work of Assistant District Attorney Barrett Poppler as well as investigators from the Sheriff’s Office and Police Department.

Cook said her office held Byers accountable for his criminal conduct because of the cooperation of the victim.