Editor's note: This story has been updated to include an interview with a man whose vehicle was hit during the chase.
Police are searching for a man who led them on a high-speed chase Wednesday night before jumping and running.
Tyler Dwayne South, 28, of 5202 Rainhill Church Road, is wanted on a charge of fleeing to elude arrest after a chase reaching speeds of 110 mph Wednesday night, said 1st Sgt. K.B. Joines with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.
Other charges are pending against South, Joines said. The chase started because South was speeding on Interstate 40, but he ended up leading police on a chase south on U.S. 64 at around 7:20 p.m., causing a couple of property damage only collisions on the way and hitting two SHP cars.
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The chase ended on U.S. 64 just beyond Duckworth Circle where South hit a parked car, Joines said. South jumped from the car and ran, causing a manhunt to ensue.
Police were unable to find South during the manhunt, but found 107 grams of methamphetamine, 44 grams of marijuana, 4.5 grams of heroin and drug paraphernalia in his vehicle, Joines said.
Charles Worley was turning onto Salem Road after he left church Wednesday night when South hit him.
“I think he hit me twice,” Worley said. “All of a sudden, bang, bang. It spun me around and I wound up (across the road) in that space.”
Worley said he was thankful he wasn’t injured.
“I had my seatbelt on,” Worley said. “That’s the first thing I do when I get inside my car, is put my seatbelt on.”
He said he hopes Worley gets his life in order.
“He needs some jail, but he needs to get his heart right with the Lord,” Worley said. “That’d straighten him out.”
South has previous convictions of felonious restraint, trafficking a schedule I controlled substance, possession of a schedule II controlled substance, riot and civil disorders and possession of a firearm by a felon, according to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety website.
Joines asked anyone with information on South’s whereabouts to contact the SHP’s office at 828-438-6291, or the Burke County Sheriff’s Office at 828-438-5500.
Chrissy Murphy is a staff writer and can be reached at cmurphy@morganton.com or at 828-432-8941. Follow @cmurphyMNH on Twitter.