A North Carolina fugitive who led Suffolk authorities on a high-speed chase through Whaleyville in June 2003 is facing local charges related to his escape.

A grand jury on Wednesday handed down indictments charging Fred Carpenter Jr. with eluding/endangering a police officer, driving while a habitual offender (endangerment or DWI) and driving with a suspended/revoked license.

Carpenter escaped from the Gates (N.C.) County Correctional Center in June 2003 while working on the jail’s unguarded road cleanup crew.

Carpenter, after being spotted by a Suffolk police officer driving on Carolina Road, led Suffolk authorities on a car chase down U.S. Route 13, Greenway Road and several other back roads in the Whaleyville area, police said. He eventually drove to a hunt club off Great Fork Road, fled the car and disappeared into the woods.

Carpenter was on the lam for nearly two weeks before he was finally captured in Connecticut and extradited to North Carolina.

Other grand jury indictments issued Wednesday include:

-Jermaine Teron Cottle – Abduction, rape.

-Edward Mack Landing – Attempting to purchase firearm by a convicted felon and falsifying firearm purchase form.

-Clevester Lamont Peoples – Possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and assault and battery on law enforcement officer.

nWilliam Randolph Carpenter – Eluding/endangering a police officer and hit-and-run with personal injury/property damage.

allison.williams@suffolknewsherald.com