ROCKINGHAM — A man who was out on bail on a number of charges is back in the Richmond County Jail on a higher bond after a deputy got suspicious.
Ruben Armando Arias III, 27, was driving through East Rockingham Monday when a patrolling Richmond County sheriff’s deputy recognized him and noticed he was driving a vehicle with Florida tags, according to investigators.
Suspicious, the deputy turned around to follow Arias, who then turned down a side street, pulled into driveway, jumped out and made a run for it, investigators say.
Arias was caught in a backyard and the deputy allegedly found a syringe on his person.
He was taken before a magistrate and charged with one misdemeanor count each of resisting a public officer and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Although those charges will generally result in a modest bond, Arias’ was set at $210,000 because of his other pending weapon, drug and theft charges, according to investigators.
Online court records show Arias already has already been charged with the following:
- Three felony counts of breaking and entering
- Two felony counts of larceny after breaking and entering
- One felony count each of possession of heroin and possession of a firearm by a felon; and
- One misdemeanor count each of resisting a public officer, possession of drug paraphernalia and carrying a concealed gun.
He also has several traffic pending traffic infractions for driving without insurance.
Records show Arias has court dates scheduled for April 25, May 6 and May 16.
His most recent conviction was on a 2016 misdemeanor charge of assault on a female, according to records with the N.C. Department of Public Safety Division of Adult Correction.
He spent nearly five months incarcerated following a 2014 probation revocation on a previous felony conviction for maintaining a place for a controlled substance and a misdemeanor charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.
All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
