WANTED SUSPECT HITCHES RIDE….TO JAIL!

By Jon Mayhew

A suspect on the run thought he could get away by hitching a ride with a Lincoln County tow truck driver. Instead, 44-year-old Lloyd Thomas Hester of Jennings Street ended up getting a ride – in a police car to jail.

The incident unfolded just before 2am on Tuesday, where police officer Mark Sain was on routine patrol around the BBQ King.

“I noticed a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed,” said Sain. “It pulled into the Petro Express across the street from Boger City Pawn.”

Sain noticed Hester getting out of the vehicle and told the man to stop. Hester kept walking.

“I then ordered (Hester) to stop and he kept walking,” said Sain. “When he got to the west side of the store, he ran, jumping over the wall to the car wash.”

Police searched but couldn’t find Hester at the time. Authorities discovered he was wanted on warrants out of Gaston County.

Around 5am, Hester was located at the car wash on Hartman Street, trying to get a ride with a driver from Gabby’s Wrecker Service.

Police officers Dan Renn and Sgt. Jeremy Wilson stopped the wrecker at Holt’s Family Restaurant on East Main Street, where Hester was taken into custody.

Hester was charged with exceeding a safe speed; resisting arrest and driving while license revoked. He was given a ride to the Harven A. Crouse Detention Center under a $4,000 secured bond.