News

Shots fired during high-speed chase of U-haul

Cameron Sellers and Whitney Jean Hollifield were charged after high-speed chase.

By Bill Moss, Published: January 9, 2019

Henderson County sheriff's deputies filed multiple felony charges against a 25-year-old man who led them on a high speed chase for several miles with shots fired along the way.

Henderson County deputies attempted to stop a U-Haul truck on N.C. 280 not far from the Transylvania/Henderson County line about 9 p.m. Tuesday.

After initially pulling to the right shoulder the driver failed to comply with deputies' commands and sped away traveling towards Mills River. The deputies were able to confirm at this point that the driver of the U-Haul was Cameron Sellers, of Harper Road. Sellers was wanted in connection with an armed robbery that occurred over the weekend in Hendersonville. There was a female in the U-Haul with him, though not the person of interest from the earlier armed robbery. The passenger was identified as Whitney Jean Hollifield, 24, of Old Kanuga Road.

 
The deputies pursued the U-Haul at speeds in excess of 70 mph and shots were fired at the deputies as they passed Haywood Road. No deputies were injured, or vehicles hit by the gunfire and the pursuit continued to Interstate 26. The pursuit then turned eastbound on I-26 to exit 49. The suspect vehicle exited onto Four Seasons Boulevard and began driving the wrong way into oncoming traffic until the suspect reached Dana Road. The pursuit proceeded out Dana Road to Cartwheel Lane where the suspect drove into an apple orchard. The U-Haul became stuck and deputies attempted to have both suspects exit the vehicle and surrender. The suspects failed to comply with the deputies' commands and a TASER was deployed on each. Both suspects were then arrested and transported to Pardee Hospital where they were cleared for warrant service at the Henderson County jail.
 
Deputies charged Sellers with resisting an officer, conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon, robbery with a dangerous weapon, failure to appear on possession of drug paraphernalia, failure to appear on possession of marijuana, failure to appear on possession of a stolen motor vehicle, fleeing to elude arrest with a motor vehicle, possession of a firearm by felon, counts assault on a government official, resisting a public officer/ aggressive driving, driving while license revoked/ not impaired. He remains in the Henderson County Jail under a $316,400 bond. 

Hollifield was charged with two counts of resisting a public officer and with possession of a firearm by felon. She was jailed under a $51,200 bond.