Two face drug charges after vehicle chase, near collision
Published 12:00 am Friday, July 3, 2020
By Shavonne Potts
shavonne.potts@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY — A Rowan County pair were charged Tuesday with drug possession after they denied fleeing from a patrol vehicle pursuing them for erratic driving throughout the county.
The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office charged Joseph Scott Parham Jr., 21, of Old Beatty Ford Road in Rockwell, with felony possession of a controlled substance schedule II and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.
Avery Michael Bostian, 27, of Bringle Ferry Road, was charged with felon possession of a controlled substance schedule II; felony possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a controlled substance schedule II; misdemeanor possession of marijuana; misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia; misdemeanor possession of marijuana drug paraphernalia; and felony fleeing to elude.
A Rowan County deputy spotted a gold Honda Accord near Upper Palmer Road and Gold Knob that passed another vehicle at a high rate of speed in a no-passing zone. The officer caught up to the vehicle that reportedly was traveling 80 mph in a 55 mph zone.
The officer turned on his lights and siren as the vehicle passed another. The driver of the Honda, later identified as Bostian, moved into the lane with oncoming traffic and nearly struck a truck, according to the sheriff’s office. The truck’s driver had to move to avoid a collision.
When the two surrendered, they told the officer they did not see him or hear his siren because they were trying to find a song on the radio. The two said the truck was driving erratically and tried to hit them. The two were arrested and the vehicle searched.
Bostian told the officer he had a syringe on him. Officers searched the vehicle before it was towed. Bostian told the officers they would find some small marijuana roaches, but officers allegedly found methamphetamine, marijuana, a digital scale and drug paraphernalia in a bag including a glass pipe.
The N.C. State Highway Patrol cited Bostian with driving while license revoked and speeding too fast for conditions.