ROCKINGHAM — Deputies with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office have had at least two pursuits within the past week.
A deputy was reportedly patrolling the northern end of the county on Oct. 18 when he attempted to stop 29-year-old Christian Marquise Harden, of Rockingham.
Harden allegedly refused to pull over, leading the deputy on a chase down Millstone, Haywood Parker and Greenlake roads in excess of 15 mph over the posted speed limit.
The vehicle Harden was driving, a Jeep Grand Cherokee, was reportedly stolen earlier in the day.
Harden was arrested and charged with larceny of a motor vehicle by the Rockingham Police Department, and faces the following charges from the sheriff’s office: fleeing to elude arrest with a motor vehicle; possession of a stolen motor vehicle; reckless driving with wanton disregard; and failing to yield at a stop sign or flashing red light.
He was booked into the Richmond County Jail where he is being held on a combined $75,000 secured bond, and is scheduled to appear in court Nov. 12.
Online court records show Harden already has a pending charge of larceny of a motor vehicle from the end of August.
Court records also show Harden was convicted in January 2025 on a misdemeanor charge of communicating threats.
Just a few days before, around 9:07 p.m. on Oct. 15, deputies reportedly responded to a report of a "suspicious vehicle” near McDonald Church Road, with the caller reporting that an individual “was wearing a mask or face covering.”
One of the responding deputies reportedly saw a vehicle matching the description “traveling away from the area at high speed.” The deputy reportedly tried to initiate a traffic stop, but the driver allegedly kept going.
Deputies say the driver ran stop signs and passed other vehicles during the pursuit, which ran through the Roberdel community and ended in a crash on Richmond Road Extension at the intersection with Terry Bridge Road.
According to the sheriff’s office, the driver — who has not yet been identified — sustained life-threatening injuries and, as of Monday, was still in the hospital.
Deputies reportedly recovered a face covering, a Glock 19 handgun and an unspecified amount of cash from the vehicle.
As of Oct. 19, the incident was still under investigation by the sheriff’s office and the N.C. State Highway Patrol.
All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
NOTE: This story has been updated to specify the time of the earlier incident. 3:24 p.m. 10-19-26
