A high-speed chase crossed county lines and resulted in the arrest of a man charged with assault with a deadly weapon, intent to cause serious injury in 2008.

According to the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, on Feb. 2, Lt. Charles Rose observed suspicious activity at a residence on Bonnerton Road, Edward, known for drug related activity. When a vehicle left the residence, Rose followed and initiated a traffic stop on Highway 306 near the Beaufort/Pamlico county line after noting the driver had exceeded the speed limit and was crossing the fog line on the road.

The statement said that as Rose walked up to the vehicle, the driver sped away. Notifying Communications, Rose pursued at speeds of over 100 mph, as the Pamlico County Sheriff’s Office was called to assist. The driver of the Nissan Pathfinder SUV turned off Highway 306 onto a gravel path, rammed through a steel gate blocking the path, and continued for approximately two miles before eventually losing control of the SUV and becoming stuck in a ditch. When the driver abandoned the vehicle and ran into the woods, Rose chased the suspect on foot but lost sight of the offender. Rose then returned to the SUV and located a wallet and identification inside.

A short time later, the Pamlico County Sheriff’s Office received a call about a white male wearing only underwear running in the area of Highway 55. Pamlico County Deputies responded and arrested Marcus Andrew Gaskill, 28, of Highway 55 East in New Bern. The press release stated that Gaskill told Deputies his clothes were caught on briars as he ran through the Woods. He was covered in small cuts and scrapes.

Under the new “Run and You’re Done” law, the SUV Gaskill was driving was seized and may be forfeited when the case is adjudicated.

“The charges he got from running were severe,” said a representative from the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office. “But when you look at the charges he was running from, you could definitely say that was his motivation.”

Gaskill was wanted on outstanding Order for Arrests for failure to pay child support, two counts of failure to appear in court, injury to real property, and injury to personal property, as well as assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury.

“That was from a 2008 case, where he assaulted a person at his residence with a blunt object that gave the victim a laceration to the head,” explained the sheriff’s office contact. “The victim received 15 staples to the head to close the laceration.”

According to the statement, Gaskill was charged with felony flee to elude arrest, driving while license revoked, speeding, and resisting a public officer for his actions in Beaufort County. He was held in the Beaufort County Detention Center on a $132,000 secured bond.