It was a normal day for Davie County Sheriff’s Deputy Adam Simmons on Thursday, Sept. 8.

It was just after 9 a.m., and he had turned his patrol car onto Valley Road from US 64/Wilkesboro Street in Mocksville, headed north.

He hadn’t traveled far when a car coming from the opposite direction on the three-lane road crossed the center turn lane. Then it crossed into Simmons’ lane, head on, reaching the curb.

Quickly, the car swerved to the right, avoiding a collision with the deputy. The chase that ensued was something like the Dukes of Hazard, but this time it was more dangerous, with a suspected meth user forcing motorists off the road in a high-speed chase on US 64 West. Luckily, according to Sheriff’s Chief J.D. Hartman, no injuries were reported.

The suspects, driving a Dodge Neon, traveled at speeds that reached 110 mph, often on the wrong side of the road in blind curves. Oncoming vehicles moved onto the side of the road to let it pass.

With Simmons right behind them, in-car camera on, the suspects went west for six and a half miles before turning into a yard, driving in a circle and going back onto US 64, this time headed east.

They traveled east for just over a mile, and turned into another yard near Van Zandt/Calahaln roads, again traveling in a circle in the grass before going back onto US 64, headed west.

The suspect vehicle went west for another three and a half miles, turning into another yard near County Line Road. And when it got back onto US 64, it was headed east again.

Many deputies and N.C. Highway Patrol officers were involved by this time, and a road block was planned near Center church, with spikes placed across the road to flatten the tires of the suspects. Officers had each access road blocked so no other vehicles would be in the way.

The suspect didn’t make it that far.

After the last turn-around, it went east for nearly five miles, and drove into a recently-harvested corn field across from Sheffield Road. With Simmons still behind them, the car made a couple of laps around the corn field before going over an embankment and landing in a pond behind Center Fire Department. The deputy saw the embankment and came to a stop, but the suspects didn’t. Ripples from where the car hit the water could quickly be seen from the in-car camera.

It wasn’t long before a man came out of the car and got on top, telling Simmons and other officers they would have to come in and get him, Hartman said. Soon after that, a woman emerged and got on top of the car. She wouldn’t go in the water because she thought she was in Florida and alligators lurked nearby, Hartman said.

The car eventually sank, and the suspects swam to shore.

Zachery Wease, 25, of West Virginia, was driving the car. He was charged with fleeing to elude arrest with a vehicle, failure to yield blue light and siren, speeding and driving left of center. His bond was set at $25,000.

Amber Clymer, 26, of Florida, was charged with aiding and abetting impaired driving and aiding and abetting a driver’s license violation. Her bond was set at $2,500.

Hartman said methamphetamine and syringes were found in the car, hours later after Davie County Rescue Squad and Greensboro Police Department divers found where it had floated underwater, and hooked it so it could be pulled out. Drug charges are pending against both, Hartman said.

The owner of the vehicle, a South Carolina woman, said she had loaned the car to the couple to go to the store, but they never returned.