Armed suspect remains elusive in Hoke County
RAEFORD, N.C. (WTVD) -- Jonathan Daniel Oxendine remains on the run, and authorities are warning people to stay on alert until he's in custody.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) said Wednesday afternoon that the investigation to arrest the 32-year-old Oxendine is "very active" after a possible explosive bomb was discovered near his home.
The Hoke County Sheriff's Office encouraged residents to lock their doors and remain vigilant until Oxendine was captured.
He eluded law enforcement Tuesday on a rural road in Red Springs.
It all started on Tuesday with an attempted traffic stop around 1 p.m. on Cope Road in Red Springs, but Oxendine refused to stop and led North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement Division (ALE) agents on a high-speed chase.
He eventually stopped and jumped out of the car with a handgun before running into the woods off Balfour Road.
Agents chased him on foot but stopped in their tracks when they discovered what appeared to be an improvised explosive device (IED) with a trip wire near Oxendine's home.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation's bomb squad was called in, and testing is being done on the device.
The bomb squad commander told ABC11 that he couldn't speak directly to the device discovered but said the situation was extremely dangerous and part of a larger trend.
"I feel like the number of IED, like legit functional, all-this-will-work- IEDs has kind of trended up over the last, I'd say, you know, like six to eight years," said Brian Joy, SBI bomb squad commander.
In 2016, there were four calls about IEDs, the SBI said. By 2022, that number increased to 18. There have been four so far this year.
The SBI is now working with some lawmakers on bills that would either create new penalties or strengthen others for making explosives at home or even possessing certain chemicals to address the trend.
Oxendine is described as about 5-7 with tattoos on his neck. He faces charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, felony possession of cocaine, driving while license revoked, expired registration, felony flee to elude, possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting public officer, and reckless driving.
More charges could be pending once analysis is completed on the potential IED.
"Devices like that are extremely dangerous," Joy said.
Residents are asked to call 911 immediately if they see someone matching the description and are advised not to approach the suspect.
