COVID-19 UPDATE 

Burke County Public Health reported 43 new positive cases of COVID-19 over the weekend for a total of 9-thousand-579 cases in Burke.

265 cases are active, with 3 Burke residents in the hospital.

McDowell County reported 16 new cases Monday for a total of 4-thousand-829 positives.

68 residents are still quarantined.**

Beginning Wednesday, state health officials will open vaccinations to part of Group 4- adults 16 to 64 years of age who are at high risk for exposure and increased risk of severe illness.

Those with high risk medical conditions, those who are homeless, and incarcerated people who have not yet been vaccinated will then be able to register for an appointment.

The rest of Group 4 which includes other essential workers will become eligible April 7^th.

Chase

A multi-county chase last Friday morning ended with the arrest of a Connelly Springs man.

A news release from the Burke County Sheriff’s Office says a deputy observed a pickup truck without a tag traveling on NC 18 South.

As the officer attempted to stop the vehicle as he turned onto St. John Church Avenue, the truck driven by 41-year-old Jimmy Frank Peeler of 7012 Rhoney Road sped up.

Other deputies assisted in the chase that lasted around 25 minutes in southern Burke and into parts of Lincoln, Catawba, and Cleveland Counties with speeds reaching up to 90 miles per hour.

The release says Peeler ran out of roadway, where he jumped and ran leading officers on a short foot chase before being taken into custody.

Peeler was found to possess a modified 12-gauge single-shot shotgun, a gram of meth, and a smoking pipe.

At the time of his arrest, Peeler was under active probation with previous probation revocations.

His felony arrests include possession of a schedule two controlled substance, speeding to elude arrest, possession of a weapon of mass destruction, and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Peeler was jailed under a 43-thousand dollar secured bond and was scheduled to appear in court yesterday.

Trespassing Leads to Drugs

A reported trespassing incident leads Burke officers to arrest a Morganton man on drug charges.

Reports say deputies were called to a residence on Spann Hill Road in Connelly Springs March 5^th to a trespassing complaint.

Once on scene, authorities made contact with a male suspect identified as 36-year-old Matthew Joe Propst of 5958 Pealot Drive.

As officers were speaking with Propst, they observed him attempt to remove something from his pocket; later identified as meth.

Propst was placed under arrest for possession of a schedule two substance.

He was held at the Burke County jail under a 3-thousand dollar secured bond with a court date set for March 29^th.

McDowell Drugs

In McDowell County, officers search a vehicle to discover it contained drugs. 

Reports with the McDowell Sheriff’s Office say 26-year-old Ricky Keith Capps of Ashworth Road Marion was stopped February 28^th on US 70 West for multiple traffic violations.

The vehicle search turned up morphine pills.

Capps was charged with possession of a schedule two controlled substance.

Sex Charges

A Marion man faces multiple sex charges following alleged inappropriate contact with a teenage girl in 2019.

35-year-old Robbie Eugene Shumate of Hicks Chapel Road has been charged with statutory rape and statutory sex offense with a child less than or equal to 15 years of age, and taking indecent liberties with a child.

In addition, Shumate faces charges in a separate case.

On February 17^th, while in custody at the McDowell County jail Shumate allegedly threw an unknown liquid on a sheriff’s office employee.

He was then charged with malicious conduct by a prisoner.