Man charged with trying to run over Pitt deputies

Christy Wallace, spokeswoman for the Pitt County Sheriff's Office, said that narcotics detectives got a tip Friday about the whereabouts Joseph Earl Highsmith Jr., 37, of 1606 Hopkins Drive Apartment B, who had been wanted for the past year on a charge of non-support of a child.

Detectives stopped and then surrounded a Chevrolet pickup truck at East 10th Street and River Bluff Drive, according to Wallace. She said that Highsmith then put the truck into drive, accelerated straight at the detectives and nearly ran them over.

The detectives weren't injured, and Highsmith, who received minor injuries, was arrested, Wallace said. He was treated at Pitt County Memorial Hospital and then placed in the Pitt County jail.

In addition to non-support of a child, Highsmith was charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a government official, four counts of resisting a public officer, one count of driving with a revoked license and several other charges. His bond was set at $407,085.80.

Highsmith's criminal record dates to 1992 and includes convictions for assault on a female, felony drug possession and larceny, according to state Department of Correction records.