Taffic accident,1 arrested ongun charges

In the aftermath of shots being fired during a traffic incident on US. Hwy. 701 Thursday, Sampson County Sheriff deputies arrested a man from Hartford, who remained behind bars Monday.

Philbert Alderman Cole, 34, of 706 Prospect Ave., Hartford, was taken into custody just before Valentine’s Day and now faces a multitude of driving infractions and a pair of gun charges, after force was exercised by authorities trying to make the arrest.

According to sheriff’s reports, on Feb. 13, deputies responded to a single motor vehicle accident involving a tractor-trailer at the U.S. Hwy. 701 on-ramp for I-40 East, near Newton Grove. The first deputy who arrived on the scene reportedly heard a gunshot.

The driver of the tractor-trailer was later identified to be Cole, who failed to comply with the deputies’ requests to keep his hand visible, and attempted to walk away from Sampson County Sheriff’s deputies several times.

Reports stated that Cole continued to refuse deputy pleas to keep his hand visible, and a taser was utilized to take him into custody. Further investigation at the scene, after the arrest, led to the discovery of a Taurus handgun, which was concealed in a scarf, near the location where the suspect was taken into custody.

Cole was charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, carrying a concealed gun, resisting a public officer, driving while impaired on a commercial vehicle, reckless driving with wanton disregard and DWI.

Cole was taken to the Sampson County Detention Center and placed in jail without privilege of bond. He has since appeared before the magistrate and was placed under $32,000 bond.