RedState reported on a rather intense high-speed police chase that took place in Charlotte on Monday afternoon, and which involved four suspects in a vehicle driving erratically in traffic on roads that were still slick from black ice as a result of this past weekend’s snowstorm, which dumped 11″ of the white fluffy stuff on the Queen City.
Dramatic footage taken by local news station WSOC-TV showed the moments leading up to the capture of one of the suspects, which took place after officers – including a K-9 cutie – chased the suspect through the woods, over a creek, and up a snow-covered hill before he was ensnared by one of the officers after jumping a short residential fence.
For those who missed the video clip, watch:
A dramatic end to a police chase this afternoon. CMPD was after a car that was weaving in and out streets thru Charlotte.
4 people jumped out in an East Charlotte neighborhood.
Chopper 9 captured this arrest of one of them. @wsoctv pic.twitter.com/Ny6EdOnaw9
— Hunter Sáenz (@Hunt_Saenz) February 2, 2026
READ MORE: The Oh So Satisfying End to a Dramatic High-Speed Charlotte Police Chase Is Caught on Video
At the time of the initial reporting, it wasn’t clear what led to the chase, nor who any of the suspects were. On Tuesday, however, we learned that one of the suspects arrested by the police had allegedly stolen the vehicle officers were pursuing.
But in perhaps one of the most Charlotte things ever, it was also learned that the alleged perp in the video clip was, surprise surprise, a repeat offender to the tune of 27 prior convictions:
Update to this. Via court docs and a police report we have confirmed the man arrested was Rico Adams. Judge Keith Smith set his bond at $7,500 secured. He was wanted on 5 outstanding warrants for similar offenses and has been previously convicted 27 times, per court docs.
The affidavit says he stole an Indian Trail woman’s car and police found the stolen car’s keys in Adams’ pocket when he was arrested.
Update to this. Via court docs and a police report we have confirmed the man arrested was Rico Adams. Judge Keith Smith set his bond at $7,500 secured. He was wanted on 5 outstanding warrants for similar offenses and has been previously convicted 27 times, per court docs.
The… https://t.co/nWICTuQC6m pic.twitter.com/E8ydx1ekj0
— Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) February 3, 2026
Several of the comments to Bruno’s tweet were from people who noted that they felt the bond was too low, considering Adams was a repeat offender and could have struck and killed someone during the course of the chase.
Charlotte light rail murder victim Iryna Zarutska’s alleged killer is a repeat offender. The suspect in a later Charlotte light rail stabbing, where the victim fortunately survived, is also a repeat offender (and an illegal immigrant). And now we know that one of the main suspects in this dangerous car chase has a long rap sheet, too.
Wash, rinse, repeat. It’s almost a daily occurrence here.
Iryna’s Law, which was signed into law in October and which went into effect in December, was crafted in part to address the persistent repeat offender issue in North Carolina. Clearly, much more work still needs to be done.
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