Man accused of crashing into deputy car, other vehicles leads officers on chase

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    ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) — Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office has arrested two men accused of leading deputies on a vehicle chase Thursday evening, April 22, in the area of Smokey Park Highway and Asbury Road in Candler.

Deputies were initially responding to a breaking and entering call, and consequently directing traffic at the intersection.

While they were clearing traffic, a car took off, hit one of the deputy cars and then some civilian vehicles as well.

Deputies took off behind the car in pursuit. The vehicle’s occupants stopped shortly after, exited the vehicle and led deputies on a foot pursuit.

Deputies apprehended them and arrested both the driver and passenger.

The driver, Billy Lee Putnam, has been charged with:

Assault With a Deadly Weapon Inflicting Serious Injury on a Government Official
Driving While Impaired
Fleeing/Eluding Arrest with a Motor Vehicle
The passenger, Blake Shelton, who already had some felony arrest warrants out on him, was charged with Fleeing/Eluding Arrest.

Putnam is being held in the Buncombe County Detention Center on a $85,000 bond.

BCSO officials said there were no injuries to deputies or anyone else.

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