ASHEBORO N.C. – Off parole for less than three months, a 23-year-old suspect is again facing multiple felony gun, drug, and fleeing charges after leading police from two counties on a nearly hour long pursuit early Sunday morning.
In the early morning hours of September 3rd, 2023, a deputy with the Randolph County Sheriff’s was patrolling on US Hwy 220 S, near Asheboro, when they spotted a motorcycle with no license plate that shut off its lights off and made a turn on Crestview Church Rd.
The deputy followed the motorcycle and attempted to pull it over, but according to a press release the driver refused to stop leading to a vehicle pursuit.
Over the course of nearly an hour, the suspect led deputies down Hwy 64 through Ramseur, Staley, straight through Siler City, onto US Hwy 421 south and then back north, into Siler City again, and through country roads between Siler City, Liberty, and Staley.
The suspect eventually crashed on R C Overman Rd, where he then fled into a wooded area on foot. The Sheriff’s Office deployed K9 Frank and they were able to locate the suspect, identified in a press release as Adam Michael Clodfelter.
The Randolph County Sheriff’s Office says while deputies were walking Clodfelter back to the patrol vehicles, deputies observed a silver handgun lying on the ground on the path taken while pursuing Clodfelter on foot. Once collected, deputies discovered the handgun was loaded and had been reported stolen.
Additionally, during the pursuit, a deputy observed the driver wearing a black Nike book bag, however, Clodfelter was not in possession of the book bag at the time of arrest and the deputy was not able to locate the backpack in the area.
Clodfelter was transported to the Randolph County Detention Center where the magistrate found probable cause for several felony charges for the stolen firearm and fleeing from police as well as several other misdemeanor and traffic charges. The magistrate issued a $100,000 secured bond and a first appearance was set for September 5, 2023, in Randolph County District Court.
The motorcycle was seized pursuit to the “Run and You’re Done Law”.
After daybreak, deputies went back to the crash location to try and locate the missing book bag Clodfelter possessed during the pursuit, but they were not able to locate it on the property. Police backtracked the route of the pursuit and were able to locate the bookbag on Silk Hope Rd, in Siler City. Police say a search of that bag found methamphetamine, paraphernalia, and a burglary tool.
Deputies went back to the magistrate and probable cause was found for additional felony charges including trafficking methamphetamine and felony possession of burglary tools. Bond was denied and these charges were included in the original first appearance set for September 5th, 2023.
According to records from the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections, On March 10th, 2022, Clodfelter was convicted for assault with a deadly weapon on government employees as well as twenty-three other criminal charges which included fleeing from police, larceny of firearms, breaking and entering, and drug possession. Clodfelter was released from prison and placed on parole on September 16th, 2022. Clodfelter was eventually released from parole in June of 2023.
Adam Michael Clodfelter
- Felony Possession of stolen firearm
- Felony Possession of a firearm by felon
- Felony Flee/elude arrest w/motor vehicle
- Felony – Trafficking methamphetamine
- Felony – Possession of Burglary Tools
- Misdemeanor Driving a motor vehicle with no registration
- Misdemeanor Speeding
- Misdemeanor Driving while license revoked
- Misdemeanor No liability insurance
- Misdemeanor Reckless driving to endanger
- Misdemeanor Fail to heed light or siren
- Misdemeanor Aggressive driving
- Misdemeanor Resist public officer
- Traffic – Fail to burn headlamp
- Traffic – Drive left of center
- Traffic – Fail to stop-steady red light
- Traffic – Fail to yield for stop sign/flashing red light
- Traffic – Drive wrong way-one way St/Rd
- Traffic – Unsafe passing crest or curve
$600,000 secured bond
Featured photo – Acme News / Archive Photo