Kevin Ray Nations
Beth Lawrence
The Sylva Herald
Jackson County is fortunate it didn’t receive an unplanned fireworks show last week after a man stole a dangerous vehicle in Swain County and fled across the county line.
Kevin Ray Nations racked up a hefty list of charges from three law enforcement agencies in both counties following a high-speed pursuit involving a propane truck. He allegedly stole a 2018 Freightliner propane truck from Thompson Gas in Bryson City and led Swain authorities on a chase across county lines Tuesday, July 2.
Thompson Gas realized through surveillance footage that the truck had been stolen around 7:07 a.m.
Bryson City Police received the report at 7:30 a.m., said BCPD Chief Charlie Robinson.
Robinson believes the theft of the propane truck was a crime of convenience as Nations has a record of similar misdeeds.
“When we saw the video footage, we knew it was Kevin,” he said. “We’ve got him charged with two other larceny of motor vehicles from back in May, so this is the third vehicle he’s stole in less than 45 days.”
Nations, 35, of Cherokee, was arrested by Jackson County Sheriff’s Office for one felony count each of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill an emergency worker, possession of a stolen motor vehicle and fleeing to elude arrest and one misdemeanor count each of injury to personal property, reckless driving to endanger, driving while license revoked, and breaking or entering.
Swain County Sheriff’s Office charged Nations for one felony count each of fleeing to elude arrest, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and one misdemeanor count each of failure to heed blue lights and sirens, resisting a public officer, reckless driving to endanger, reckless driving with wanton disregard, operating a commercial vehicle with no operator’s license, and driving while license revoked.
He also received a handful of traffic infractions including driving left of center, failure to maintain lane control, and exceeding safe speeds.
Bryson City Police Department charged Nations for two felony counts of breaking and entering a motor vehicle, one felony count of larceny of a motor vehicle, and one misdemeanor count of first-degree trespassing enter or remain.
Shortly before 9 a.m. on July 2, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office posted a notice to Facebook alerting residents of the Dick’s Creek community in Whittier of an increased police presence in the area owing to a manhunt.
Later that day, Emergency Management issued a code red alert and created an accompanying social media post. The post contained a photo of what appeared to be security camera footage showing a man walking around the front end of a large vehicle and identified Kevin Nations as the alleged suspect. The post asked the public to watch for him and gave a description of his clothes and last known location. By 8 p.m. the account was updated saying Nations had been apprehended.
Shortly after the truck was reported stolen, Swain County Sheriff Sgt. B. DeHart spotted Nations and the extremely conspicuous vehicle on Alarka Road.
DeHart employed blue lights and sirens in an attempt to induce Nations to stop.
The chase “went up Alarka Road, down Alarka Road then 19A and then onto 74 eastbound,” Robinson said.
Nations is also accused of running a stop sign at the Alarka exit at Deep Gap and Alarka Roads during the chase.
Nations’ flight from Swain authorities spilled over into Jackson County where Jackson deputies joined in.
He cut across U.S. 19A at Lloyd’s by the River motel in the Ela community to reach U.S. 74 fleeing into Whittier where Nations bailed out of the pilfered truck on Dick’s Creek Road then fled on foot.
At times, Nations drove the massive vehicle into the left lane, according to a warrant issued by Swain County Sheriff’s Office.
The chase lasted approximately 30 miles before law enforcement managed to inhibit his movement enough that Nations felt the need to execute a jump and run.
“I think they finally got him in a situation where he couldn’t get the vehicle out,” Robinson said.
Nations is accused of using the truck to assault law enforcement officers from both counties including Bryson City’s second in command and Jackson Detective Hunter Karup.
“He intentionally hit one of the Jackson County cars,” Robinson said. “He tried to run over Assistant Chief Wayne Dover with the Bryson City Police Department. Wayne was out of his vehicle because they had him blocked in, and they were going up to make the arrest. He looked dead at Wayne and he floored the gas.”
No law enforcement personnel were injured in the incident.
JCSO’s 2022 Dodge Charger sustained $200 worth of damage to the front end, according to the Jackson arrest warrant.
Nations additionally drove recklessly over the speed limit at times, court documents state.
Speed limits along the route vary.
“On Alarka…the speed zone is 45 (mph), so that would have been in excess of 60 on Alarka; part of (U.S.) 74 is 55 so that would have been above 70, and on 19A I think one stretch of it is 35,” Robinson said.
Authorities took precautions to keep chase speeds as low as possible and keep the pursuit out of towns and neighborhoods.
“Anywhere that it (would) go off into a town, into a community they blocked the exits to keep him away from as many people as they could,” Robinson said.
In his attempt to escape, Nations allegedly broke into a vacant home on Dick’s Creek Road after running from the ditched truck, according to court documents.
The propane truck was apparently not his only target.
Nations is also accused of breaking into a 2007 Ford F-150 pickup, “with the intent to commit larceny,” at the beginning of his spree at Thompson Gas, a BCPD warrant states.
The propane truck received a small amount of damage and was returned to the company.
Thompson Gas was contacted but declined comment citing the ongoing investigation.
Nations is being held in Jackson County Detention Center under a $1,141,000 secured bond.
He has a court appearance scheduled for July 15. He also has outstanding theft related charges in Haywood County.