A North Carolina man was arrested Saturday and faces multiple charges after a police pursuit that started in North Carolina and ended in Carter County.
John Joseph Tiernan, 30, 3909 Austin Road, Monroe, N.C., was arrested Saturday night at approximately 10:20 by Carter County Sheriff’s Department Lt. Keith Range and charged with ninth offense driving on a revoked license, felony evading arrest and three counts of child endangerment. Tiernan was also charged with being a fugitive from justice out of North Carolina.
According to police reports, the Carter County Sheriff’s Department received a request for assistance from officers of the Avery County, N.C., Sheriff’s Department, regarding the pursuit of a vehicle which was fleeing from that jurisdiction.
Officers of the Carter County Sheriff’s Department received a description of the fleeing vehicle along with information that it was traveling on U.S. Highway 19E in Roan Mountain, and was headed toward Hampton, and that Avery County deputies were still in pursuit of the vehicle. Avery County deputies reported that the speed of the fleeing vehicle was in excess of 85 miles per hour at times.
“As (Carter County) deputies arrived in the area to assist the vehicle turned onto a private drive at the intersection of Highway 19E and J.D. Whitehead Lane,” Range said in his report on the incident. “The vehicle continued up the private drive and through the yard of a residence … . The vehicle traveled around the side of the residence and into the back yard. At this time the driver attempted to travel around the other side of the residence when he came upon several Carter County, Avery County and Constable units which had blocked the way.”
At that time officers were able to take the driver of the vehicle into custody, and he was identified as John J. Tiernan.
Range said that once Tiernan was in custody, officers also found a female passenger in the vehicle along with three children – ages 2, 5 and 6.
According to the report on the incident, a check of Tiernan’s driver’s license revealed that he had eight prior offenses for driving on a revoked or suspended license.
“Mr. Tiernan stated that he ran from Avery County deputies because he knew he did not have a license and that he had an outstanding warrant for breaking and entering,” Range said in his report.