Break-in suspects caught; one after short chase, second after day-long manhunt

Two Taylorsville men have been arrested following break-ins, larcenies, a short car chase, and a long search in the Rocky Springs Community this week.

On Tuesday, May 2, 2017, at approximately 10:41 a.m., a call came into Alexander County Sheriff’s Office Communications in reference to a breaking and entering in progress located on Rocky Springs Road, according to Sheriff Chris Bowman.

Information was received that a red Nissan pick-up truck was seen at a residence, with two subjects carrying items out of the residence and loading them onto the truck. The vehicle left with a push-mower visible in the back of the truck, traveling east on Rocky Springs Road.

Officers were in the vicinity of Rocky Springs Road. The suspect vehicle was spotted by officers, which then led to the officers turning and giving short chase with the vehicle. The vehicle wrecked and hit a tree, disabling it, on Jim Millsaps Road. Occupants jumped out of the vehicle and ran into a wooded area, where one subject was taken into custody. Other patrol officers, including the K-9 unit, responded to the area in search of the second suspect. It was several hours before the second man was located.

All items in the suspects’ vehicle were reported stolen out of two breaking and entering cases in the area.

Taken into custody was Jeffrey Lynn Mays, Jr., age 37 of Taylorsville. He was transported to the Alexander County Law Enforcement Center. Mays was charged with two counts of Felony Breaking & Entering, two counts of Felony Larceny after Breaking & Entering, one count of Felony Possession of a Schedule 2 Controlled Substance, one count of Felony Larceny of a Firearm, one count of Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, and a Failure to Appear Child Support Warrant out of Catawba County.

Mays was put under a $70,000 secured bond, as well as a $500 cash bond for the Failure to Appear. He was given a first appearance date of May 8, 2017, in Alexander County District Court.
The investigation is continuing, the Sheriff stated.

On Tuesday, May 2, 2017, David Joseph Byrd, age 41 of Taylorsville, was located on Sulphur Springs Road in the northeast part of Alexander County. Byrd was taken into custody at approximately 7:00 PM in reference to the incidents earlier in the day involving two residential break-ins on Rocky Springs Road.

During a scuffle with the suspect Byrd, one of the arresting officers was injured.  After being examined at Catawba Valley Medical Center, results showed broken bones in the officer’s hand.

Byrd was transported to the Alexander County Law Enforcement Center, where he was charged with two counts of Felony Breaking & Entering, three counts of Resist/Obstruct/Delay, one count of Felony Larceny of a Firearm, one count of Possession of Firearm by Felon, one count of Felony Possession of a Schedule 2 Controlled Substance, and one count of Misdemeanor Assault on a Law Enforcement Official.  He was placed under a $200,000 secured bond with a first appearance date of May 8, 2017 in Alexander County District Court.