A police chase that started in Western North Carolina and stretched across the Tennessee state line, ended with the arrest of two suspects. The chase started in Asheville, Friday afternoon after authorities started to pursue a vehicle that had been reported stolen.
As the chase moved towards the Tennessee state line on I-26, North Carolina deputies dropped off the pursuit after notifying the Unicoi County Sheriff's Office in Tennessee. A 911 caller later reported that a car crashed and was on fire near the Clear Branch exit just across the Tennessee state line.
Sheriff's deputies and officers from the Erwin Police Department in Tennessee responded to the scene and began searching for the suspects in a wooded area.
The suspects, 47 year old Gregory Harper of Johnson City and 39 year old , Ronald Trivett of Elizabethton, Tennessee were located and taken into custody. Harper is charged with evading arrest.
Trivett is charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, evading arrest and leaving the scene of the crash. He also was wanted on active felony warrants out of Wilson, County Tennessee.