Four-County Pursuit Ends in Arrest of SC Man in NC After Vehicle Thefts

A South Carolina man is in custody after what authorities describe as a lengthy, multi-agency pursuit spanning multiple counties and two states on Wednesday.

Austin Shane Tucker, 24, of Spartanburg, faces numerous charges in North Carolina and South Carolina following the incident. He remained in custody at the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center as of press time under a $330,000 secured bond.

According to the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were alerted around 11:42 a.m. on April 1 that troopers with the North Carolina Highway Patrol were pursuing a stolen vehicle on Harris Henrietta Road. The vehicle had been reported stolen the previous day in Spartanburg County, South Carolina.

Authorities said stop sticks were successfully deployed, but the driver abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot into nearby woods, beginning a series of pursuits and vehicle thefts across Rutherford and Polk counties and into South Carolina.

Investigators say Tucker allegedly stole multiple vehicles during the incident, including a utility task vehicle from a solar farm, a motorcycle from a residence on Providence Road, and later a truck pulling a trailer with a tractor. At several points, officers from multiple jurisdictions pursued Tucker as he traveled at high speeds, including driving the wrong way on U.S. Highway 221 toward the South Carolina state line.

Law enforcement agencies in South Carolina, including the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office and Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, joined the pursuit as it crossed state lines. Authorities said Tucker repeatedly fled on foot after abandoning stolen vehicles, evading capture multiple times.

The pursuit continued back into North Carolina, where deputies coordinated with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. Stop sticks were deployed again in Polk County, successfully disabling a vehicle. Tucker then fled on foot before being apprehended in the 3500 block of Chesnee Road.

Officials said Tucker was transported to Rutherford Regional Hospital for medical clearance before being booked into the Rutherford County Detention Center.

He is currently charged in North Carolina with multiple counts of felony fleeing to elude arrest, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, and other offenses including reckless driving, driving while impaired, and resisting a public officer. Additional charges are pending in Polk County, as well as in Cherokee and Spartanburg counties in South Carolina.

The sheriff’s office said the case remains under investigation and credited the arrest to coordination among numerous agencies and assistance from community members who provided tips during the search.

Emergency radio communications reviewed by WCAB News indicate a Taser was deployed during the operation and that aerial support, including a helicopter, assisted in the search.

Court records tied to the case are available through the North Carolina Judicial Branch. Authorities also noted Tucker has prior and pending cases in both North Carolina and South Carolina.

Officials said additional charges are expected as the investigation continues.