A Vanceboro man is in custody following a police pursuit and multiple crashes that occurred Tuesday morning in Beaufort County.
The incident began around 11:15 a.m., when New Bern Police attempted to stop 33-year-old Markel Raheem Mattocks, according to the Craven County Sheriff's Office.
Authorities reported that Mattocks fled north on U.S. 17 and crashed on the Neuse River Bridge between New Bern and Bridgeton at approximately 11:45 a.m.
After the crash, a woman stopped to assist, but Mattocks allegedly forced her from her vehicle and drove away. A Craven County deputy later spotted the stolen vehicle, which was clocked at over 100 mph during the pursuit lasting about 25 minutes into Beaufort County.
The chase concluded when Mattocks crashed again near the intersection of Jones Road and Flat Swamp Road, subsequently fleeing into a wooded area.
Law enforcement personnel, including the Craven County and Beaufort County Sheriff's Offices and New Bern Police Department, established a perimeter and utilized drones for an area search.
Mattocks was located hiding in the woods and taken into custody approximately one hour after the pursuit ended, authorities said.
At the time of this incident, Mattocks was on post-release supervision for felony trafficking of a Schedule I controlled substance and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He has prior convictions for robbery, drug offenses, and firearm possession, with his supervision scheduled to conclude in 2027.
Mattocks now faces multiple new charges related to Tuesday's events and remains in jail, according to authorities.