AHOSKIE – A local man is in jail after leading law enforcement officers on a vehicle chase at speeds topping 100 mph on Wednesday.

Travis Devon Eley, 29, of Peachtree Street, Ahoskie, stands charged with felony speed to elude arrest along with several traffic citations – careless and reckless driving, failure to heed blue lights and siren, driving while license revoked, driving left of center, and speeding 120 mph in a 55 mph zone.

He was placed in the Hertford County Jail under a $5,000 secured bond and was scheduled to make his first appearance on Friday in Hertford County District Court.

According to Ahoskie Police Chief Troy Fitzhugh, APD Officer Tyler Burden noted Eley operating a 2001 Mercury passenger car in the area of Main Street and Catherine Creek Road shortly after 10 a.m. Wednesday.

“Officer Burden was aware that Mr. Eley had a revoked license and attempted to make a traffic stop on the vehicle,” Fitzhugh said. “However, Mr. Eley failed to stop.”

Fitzhugh said Eley’s vehicle turned north off Main Street onto Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, and then onto First Street and Lloyd Street making his way towards Memorial Drive. Once on Memorial, he turned west.

“Along the way, Mr. Eley failed to stop at several traffic lights and stop signs,” Fitzhugh said. “He also illegally passed a vehicle at the overhead pass (on Memorial Drive), nearly striking an oncoming vehicle.”

Upon reaching the stoplight at Memorial Drive and Academy Street, Fitzhugh noted that the traffic light there was red at the time, but Eley used the left-hand lane (used by eastbound traffic on Memorial) to maneuver past vehicles waiting for the light in the westbound lane.

Turning west on NC 42, the pursuit of Eley’s vehicle was joined by two other APD units.

“At that time, Mr. Eley’s vehicle was traveling at 100 mph and weaving in and out of traffic, nearly causing several accidents,” Fitzhugh said.

The chase then turned south on NC 11 where Fitzhugh said Eley’s vehicle reached 120 mph.

“He then turned onto the Millennium Road (off NC 11) and traveled into Aulander at a speed of 80 mph,” Fitzhugh reported. “In Aulander, he used the sidewalk to turn onto Commerce Street because his path was partially blocked by an 18-wheeler at that intersection. He was headed back towards NC 11 and traveling so fast that his vehicle went airborne briefly when crossing the railroad tracks.”

Eley made a right onto NC 11 South. A short distance later he came up behind a Bertie County EMS unit, also traveling south.

“His vehicle almost struck that ambulance upon passing it,” Fitzhugh said.

The chase – joined now by Highway Patrol Trooper Hunter Mizelle – eventually reached Martin County. There, just before Oak City, Eley attempted to turn left onto Ray Turner Road.

“He was going too fast to complete that turn and his vehicle ran off the road, getting stuck in a ditch,” Fitzhugh said. “At that point, Mr. Eley exited his vehicle and fled on foot into a wooded area, but was overtaken a short time later by Officer Burden and Trooper Mizelle.”

Fitzhugh thanked his officers and the NC Highway Patrol for safely ending the chase.

“Fortunately for all involved, to include Mr. Eley, no one was injured,” Fitzhugh concluded.