Motorist caught after high speed pursuit
A Newton man faces multiple charges after leading officers on a vehicle chase in Alexander and Caldwell counties on Saturday night, according to Alexander County Sheriff Chad Pennell.
On November 22, 2025, around 10:50 p.m., deputies with the Alexander County Sheriff’s Office attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a Toyota Camry traveling at a high rate of speed on Highway 127 South near Devils Track Road. The driver failed to stop, initiating a vehicle pursuit.
The chase continued through rural areas of Alexander County and into Caldwell County. During the pursuit, deputies observed the driver throwing a white powdery substance from the vehicle’s driver-side window. The incident came to an end in the parking lot of Walgreens on Highway 321 after the suspect vehicle drove over deployed stop sticks.
The Alexander County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Hudson Police Department, Lenoir Police Department, and the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance and coordinated efforts in safely bringing this pursuit to a conclusion, said Pennell.
Following the incident, Jose Louis Ramirez-Berreto, a 25-year-old, H/M from Newton, was taken into custody. Ramirez-Berreto has been charged with:
• Possession of Cocaine.
• Maintaining a Vehicle for the Use of a Controlled Substance.
• Fleeing to Elude Arrest with a Motor Vehicle.
• Destroying Criminal Evidence.
• Careless and Reckless Driving.
• Failure to Stop at a Stop Sign.
Ramirez-Berreto is being held in the Alexander County Detention Center under no bond. His first appearance was scheduled for November 24, 2025, in Alexander County District Court.
