RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — A Zebulon man accused of shooting at a Wendell police officer during a high-speed chase will spend 10 years in prison, federal prosecutors said.
The U.S. Department of Justice said Cedrick Tyler Armstrong, 37, received a 120-month sentence Tuesday for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was convicted in November following a two-day trial before District Judge James C. Dever III.
According to court documents presented by prosecutors, Armstrong was the passenger in a car that was stopped by Wendell Police and an officer attempted to remove him and the driver from the vehicle after a bag found in the glove box was found to be cocaine.
The officer placed the driver’s left arm in handcuffs before he escaped and fled in the vehicle, dragging the officer about 25 feet.
The driver led authorities on a chase through multiple counties and reached speeds higher than 100 mph. Police said about nine shots were fired from the passenger’s side at a police officer pursuing them.
The chase was stopped shortly after that because of concerns about the safety of the officers and the public.
Armstrong and the driver were arrested later that night at a Raleigh house, where a 9 mm handgun and extended magazine were found in a toilet tank. Forensic tests confirmed that gun was the one that fired a casing recovered from the area where the shots were fired.
Armstrong also faces pending state charges in connection with the incident.