Suspect in standoff following robbery of NC store named, charges issued

Jason O. Boyd
·1 min read

GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — Greenville police named the suspect and issued charges in Saturday’s incident, where a camper was set on fire and a nearby store robbed before a standoff that closed part of Memorial Drive/NC Hwy. 33.

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Police said the suspect was Brandon James Messier, 31, of Graniteville, Vermont. He was charged with the following:

  • Felony burning personal property

  • Felony flee to elude

  • Felony possession of a stolen motor vehicle

  • Misdemeanor reckless driving to endanger

  • Misdemeanor conceal handgun

  • Misdemeanor resisting, delaying, or obstructing an investigation

  • Misdemeanor open container

He was arrested at ECU Health Medical Center just before 5 a.m. on Sunday. Additional charges are likely, officials said.

Officials said Messier was the suspect who set a camper on fire, which resulted in police responding to Colony Tire at 110 Dautridge Drive just after 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. He’s also the suspect in the robbery of The Fuel Doc that happened shortly after.

(Sarah Gray Barr, WNCT photo)
(Sarah Gray Barr, WNCT photo)

Police said Messier was driving a white pickup truck that had been stolen in Vermont. Officials ended up in a brief chase of the pickup truck before it crashed and came to a stop in a field.

After about an hour of negotiations with the suspect, police took him into custody and sent him to ECU Health Medical Center to be evaluated.

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