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Big Stone Gap police arrest fugitive after two-day search

Published November 25th, 2009 | 0 Comments

WEBER CITY — Authorities in Big Stone Gap arrested a Florida man Wednesday afternoon who was on the run after he fled from deputies at a Scott County gas station the morning before.

John Wesley Harding, 21, Pasco County, Fla., faces charges in Scott County of eluding arrest, possession of a Schedule II drug, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, felony property damage, and driving without a license.

Additional charges are pending, Scott County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Jason Wood said.

Those charges stem from an incident that occurred about 4:30 a.m. Tuesday when Harding fled from deputies at a gas station near the Tennessee state line in Weber City and ditched his 1990 Honda Accord a half mile away on the property of Clayton Mobile Homes.

Big Stone Gap police also charged Harding with credit card fraud and forgery after he allegedly used a credit card that was stolen days before from relatives who live in Wise County.

Those relatives alerted police Wednesday when Harding reportedly came to their home to return the credit card.

Harding was arrested near Artesian Baptist Church on Artesian Well Hollow Road, not far from where his relatives live, after he was spotted hiding in the woods by a Big Stone Gap police officer.

Harding’s girlfriend, Brandi Lynn Stalter, 24, Pasco County, Fla., was arrested in a separate vehicle by Scott County deputies Tuesday morning at the gas station Harding fled from.

At the time of her arrest, Stalter was in a 1992 Acura two-door coupe that was allegedly stolen.

Several pills including oxycodone, methadone, Xanax and Soma were reportedly found in the vehicle.

Stalter was charged with possession of marijuana, felony possession of a stolen vehicle, two counts of possession of a Schedule II controlled substance with intent to distribute, and possession with intent to distribute Schedule V, Schedule IV and Schedule II controlled substances.

Several other charges could be filed as a result of a search warrant executed on her vehicle, which was impounded along with Harding’s.

She and Harding are being held without bond in the Southwest Virginia Regional Correctional Facility in Duffield.

The incident that started the search for Harding began shortly before 4 a.m. Tuesday when Stalter allegedly entered the Valero gas station acting disoriented.

A clerk at the store became concerned and called police to check on Stalter after she went to the restroom and stayed there nearly half an hour.

When authorities arrived on the scene a short time later, they began questioning Stalter and Harding, who remained in his car.

The couple told deputies they were in the process of moving from Florida to Big Stone Gap.

During questioning, Harding reportedly began acting suspiciously and would not exit his vehicle.

“He was acting strange, and his windows were blacked out on his car, and he wouldn’t roll his window down,” Wood said. “I’d asked him for ID, and he didn’t have one and didn’t seem like he wanted to produce one. I went to open his door to get him out of the car, and that’s when he took off.”

Harding allegedly drove through the gate at Clayton Mobile Homes and hid his car behind the office, a double-wide trailer located at the back of the lot.

From there authorities said he fled on foot into the woods behind the Clayton Mobile Homes property.

A tracking dog from the Weber City Police Department and officers from the Gate City Police Department and the Virginia State Police were called in to assist with the search, which proved unsuccessful.

Harding was spotted about 9 a.m. the same morning walking through Weber City, but authorities were unable to find him after they had been alerted to the sighting.

No other sightings were made between Tuesday and Harding’s arrest by Big Stone Gap police on Wednesday.

Because of Harding’s criminal history and the fact that several firearms were found in his vehicle, deputies originally feared he could be armed.

However, Lt. Mark Jones with the Big Stone Gap Police Department said that at the time of his arrest, Harding only had a knife in his possession.

Harding has been known to use aliases in the past, including John Weston Harding, John Harding, Kenneth David Harding and Kenneth Harding.

Police said he has outstanding warrants in Johnson City on charges of embezzlement and credit card fraud under the name John Wesley Hardin and is wanted in Pasco County under the name Kenneth D. Harding on charges related to methamphetamine production.

Harding has also been convicted on gun and methamphetamine related charges in Florida.

Anyone with additional information relating to the case is asked to call the Big Stone Gap Police Department at (276) 523-0117.

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