Wright flees courthouse

By BOB HIGH
Staff Writer

Tabor City police and sheriff’s deputies were alerted Wednesday afternoon that Billie Jay Wright was loose again, and wanted.
The 19-year-old Tabor City resident – facing another prison term as part of his plea agreement on at least 29 charges – failed to appear to present his deal to Superior Court Judge Jack Thompson. The judge issued an order for immediate arrest and set bond at $100,000, secured.

Wright was nervous and fidgety the entire morning and early afternoon. He had been ordered at 10 a.m. Wednesday to stay inside the courthouse or with his attorney R.C. Soles Jr.

Wright’s case was called at 2:50 p.m. Soles walked into the courtroom alone.

Assistant District Attorney Lisa Freedman told Thompson that she wanted an order for arrest, plus she wanted his previous bonds revoked.

Soles explained to the judge that he and Freedman had “worked out” a new plea agreement in the late morning, and Wright appeared to be ready to face the music.

Teen disappears

“He was with me here and in my office most of the morning. We went to lunch, and he came back to the courthouse after the lunch break,” the attorney told Thompson.

“He’s disappeared. I don’t know where he is. I ask that you hold the case open and see if I can locate him overnight and be back here in the morning,” Soles asked.

Thompson, however, issued the order for arrest and told Soles that if Wright showed up Thursday morning (today), he would drop the arrest order.

Wright was scheduled to appear Tuesday and enter his plea deal, but was reported “sick” and unable to come to Whiteville. However, Tabor City police detained Wright Tuesday night.

Cries in court

The teen was a passenger in a car driven by a young female. The female was arrested and officers held Wright while they checked to make sure there were no outstanding warrants.

Wright began Wednesday by crying as he told the judge how he knew he was going to have to go to prison, but he wasn’t guilty of all the of the charges, and he didn’t want any time to be added to his undisclosed time behind bars.

Soles had moved for a continuance and Thompson was preparing to accommodate him with a March court date, but Freedman interrupted.

The DA read a list of 27 printed charges facing Wright, including three felonies. Then, she produced copies of two new warrants that weren’t on the list, and finally noted he was arrested last Friday for possession of drug paraphernalia.

The pending charges include two felony counts of larceny of a firearm, plus felony larceny. The following are misdemeanor counts:
• Driving with a revoked license (three) • Possession of stolen goods (two) • Littering • No insurance • Fictitious license tag • Possess open container of alcohol • Failure to yield • Failure to stop for stop sign • Failure to stop for flashing red light • Hit-and-run • Failure to stop for wreck after property damage • No vehicle registration • Expired inspection sticker • No vehicle insurance • Misuse of 9-1-1 system • Indecent exposure • Unauthorized use of a vehicle • Assault on a female • Assault with a deadly weapon • Communicating threats • Injury to personal property • Flee to elude arrest • Possession of drug paraphernalia.

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