A Valdese woman is charged with speeding through a work zone while eluding authorities.

41-year-old Tracy Nicole Brooks of Goins Drive was spotted driving through a construction zone on I-40 near mile marker 111 reaching a speed of approximately 100 miles per hour.

Burke County deputies attempted a traffic stop; however, Brooks failed to stop for emergency lights and siren reaching speeds of 110 miles per hour.

A news release states the chase continued for around 7 miles and ended whenever Brooks pulled into the Sheriff’s office parking lot on Enola Road.

Brooks advised officers she was turning herself in on an outstanding warrant, although a records check did not reveal any outstanding warrants.

Brooks was placed in custody and charged with a felony count of fleeing to elude arrest.

She was then placed in the Burke Catawba District Confinement Facility under a 10-thousand dollar secured bond.

Brooks’ vehicle was seized by the sheriff’s office pursuant to NC’s run and you’re done law.

An Old Fort man is hospitalized following a residential fire on Sugar Hill Road Wednesday evening.

Fire officials say the man was suffering non life-threatening injuries, and no one else sustained injury.

Multiple fire departments from McDowell County responded to the blaze – Old Fort, Crooked Creek, Pleasant Gardens, and Sugar Hill.

State and local officials continue to investigate the cause of the fire; with members from the SBI, the McDowell County Fire Marshal, and McDowell County Sheriff’s Office.

McDowell EMS and Rescue Squad assisted at the fire scene.

Officers in McDowell County serving an outstanding warrant find drugs on the suspect.

47-year-old Albert Jeffery Johnson of Clover View Drive in Marion was served the warrant at his residence, while the officer located a half-gram of cocaine and items of drug paraphernalia.

Deputies arrested Johnson on charges of possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia.

A Shelby man has been jailed for allegedly trafficking twin sisters from South Carolina back to Cleveland County.

26-year-old Derrell Davion Russell of Peach Street was charged Tuesday evening as Cleveland County authorities conducted a social media sting operation.

Reports say the 14-year-old twins met Russell using Facebook’s messenger app and arranged to meet this past March.

The twins believed Russell was closer to their age.

He reportedly went to the girls’ home in Blacksburg, in March and brought them back to Cleveland County.

Court documents reveal one of the girls was sexually assaulted that day.

The girls’ family reported the incident to Cleveland County authorities who then set up a surprise meeting with Russell.

A sex crimes investigator was waiting for Russell who thought he was again meeting the twins.

Russell has been charged with kidnapping, statutory rape of a child by an adult, contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile, solicitation by computer, and human trafficking a child victim.

His bond was set at 1-million dollars.

Officials are still investigating to see if there may be additional victims in the case.