LINCOLNTON, N.C. – A chase involving a stolen vehicle led to damage to a Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office patrol car and the arrest of a man accused of stealing the vehicle.

The incident began around 10 a.m. when a man on Marsh Trail in western Lincoln County reported his 1997 Ford pickup had been stolen. A “Be On the Lookout” was broadcast to officers with the description of the vehicle.

Sheriff’s Office 1st Sgt. Steve Grinnell observed the vehicle in the area of Corriher Farm Road and Killian Road and gave chase. The vehicle traveled north on Killian Road at a high rate of speed before turning through a yard and driving back across the roadway into a field near the Catawba County line. Sgt. Grinnell continued to chase the vehicle which rammed the patrol car twice during the incident. The patrol car sustained front bumper and right fender damage. The stolen truck was driven into a ravine and rolled into a creek.

The suspect jumped from the pickup truck and ran from the scene on foot. Deputies W. Spurling, B. Alexander and K. Cornett and State Highway Patrol troopers chased the individual who was apprehended a short time later.

Joseph Lee Hughes, 31, of Frank’s Road, Lincolnton, NC is charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon on a law enforcement officer, felony fleeing to elude a law enforcement officer, driving while license revoked, injury to personal property, injury to real property, felony larceny of a motor vehicle and felony possession of a stolen vehicle. Hughes also faces an extradition hearing for parole violation from Washington County, Tennessee.

He is also charged with warrants from Catawba County for felony breaking and entering a building, felony larceny of a firearm, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and probation violation.

He was placed in the Harven A. Crouse Detention Center under a $121,000 secured bond on the local charges. He is being held on a no bond hold on the fugitive warrant charge in Tennessee.