Couple arrested after sparking Alexander County manhunt

TAYLORSVILLE, N.C.,None — An Alexander County couple that sparked a manhunt after allegedly assaulting a deputy and fleeing the scene were arrested Thursday following a 17-day search.

Phillip Daniel Teague, 42, and his wife, Brandy Jane Stafford Teague, 31, were arrested by Ashe Countydeputies after they were found at a camp site.

Officers found the couple when they responded to a trespassing complaint. The Teagues had been entered into an FBI database following their run-in withAlexander County deputies. They were wanted for assault with a deadly weapon on a government official, resisting public officer, and fictitious information to an officer.

The Teagues’ trouble began Aug. 9 when the Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office called them to let Alexander County know the Teagues were heading to Hiddeniteand Phillip Teague was wanted for felony probation violation.

An Alexander County Deputy spotted a car matching the description in Hiddenite and pulled it over. The Teagues gave him false names and told him they could take him to the Vashti area where the people he was after were located.

The deputy followed them. Sgt. Jon Hayes of the Alexander County Sherriff’s Office met the deputy with a photo of the Teagues. The deputy pulled them over again this time on Cove Gap Road near Bethel Church Road.

When the deputy saw the photos, he realized the suspect was sitting in the car he’d pulled over twice.Brandy Teague was standing outside of her Subaru Legacy vehicle and when she saw the deputy coming her way, she ran back to her car and began to drive away, according to the incident report.

Hayes tried to stop her and grabbed the car. Teague dragged him about 50 feet before he let go.

Hayes was banged up and bruised during the incident, but was not seriously hurt, said Chief Deputy Tod Jones of the Alexander County Sheriff’s Office.

The Teagues led the officers on a high-speed chase through Alexander County’s Vashti community. The deputies followed the Teagues across the Wilkes County line to a house. There, the Teagues jumped from the car and ran into the woods where they split up.

Multiple law enforcement agencies joined the search. K-9 teams and a helicopter were brought in on the search, but the Teagues got away. The search was called off in the morning, but a be-on-the-lookout order was issued to surrounding agencies.

When the Teagues were arrested, they faced additional charges.

Phillip Teague was also charged with felony probation violation on a warrant from Wilkes County. His bond was set at $120,000 secured.

Brandy Teague was also charged with drug crimes from Wilkes County warrants. Her bond was set at$65,000 secured

WSOC