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The Southampton County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a juvenile wanted for felony charges out of Hampton who allegedly fled a traffic stop April 29, crashed the vehicle, fled on foot, is possibly the perpetrator of a home invasion April 30 and then allegedly stole a truck. 

As of mid-afternoon April 30, he remains at large.

A press release from the sheriff’s office detailed the series of incidents that the office believes are likely related.

At approximately 11:47 p.m. on April 29, a Southampton County deputy sheriff initiated a traffic stop on a 2006 Volkswagen Jetta for a speeding violation in the 27000 block of Southampton Parkway in Courtland. 

The deputy made initial contact with the driver of the Jetta and subsequently identified him as a juvenile male wanted for felony charges out of the city of Hampton. Upon the deputy requesting the driver to step out of the vehicle, the juvenile drove off at a high rate of speed, prompting a pursuit by the deputy. 

The pursuit of the Jetta continued onto Story Station Road until the Jetta crashed in the 24000 block of that road in Courtland. Upon crashing, the juvenile exited the vehicle and fled off into the nearby wooded area. 

Additional Southampton County Sheriff’s Office units responded to the scene, where a perimeter was then established and a search was initiated for the juvenile suspect.

At approximately 5:59 a.m. on April 30, the sheriff’s office received a report of a home invasion at a residence in the 23000 block of Southampton Parkway in Courtland. It was reported to deputies that a resident was awakened to a Black male subject standing in the living room asking for keys to vehicles at the residence. Another resident came to investigate what was occurring in the home. The other resident confronted and then cornered the intruding subject, which forced him to exit the residence and flee on foot down Jerusalem Road. 

Upon further investigation, it was determined that the male subject had gained entry into the residence by cutting a screen door.

Minutes later at approximately 6:02 a.m., the sheriff’s office responded to a business in the 23000 block of Jerusalem Road for a report of a stolen 2016 Ford F-150. A witness stated that a male subject entered and exited the business, got into the Ford F-150 and fled the business heading north on Jerusalem Road. 

The vehicle theft suspect was positively identified by surveillance video as the juvenile vehicle pursuit suspect that crashed on Story Station Road earlier. 

“Based off details obtained in the investigation, all of these incidents are likely related,” officials stated in the release. “Charges to be subsequently obtained by the Southampton County Sheriff’s Office for the juvenile male subject.” 

The incident remains under investigation.