Arthur Duval Mims, 45, of 823 Terrace Creek Drive in Duncan, S.C., was wanted by South Carolina police after authorities responded to a shooting call at his home shortly after 3:15 a.m. and found his wife’s dead body in a bathroom and the house on fire, according to the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office. Officers also found Mills’ stepdaughter suffering from gunshot wounds.
Mims fled the area in his Ford F-150, but police eventually spotted him in Cherokee County near the North Carolina state line. The chase ensued through several counties and the Charlotte area where officers attempted to disable Mims’ truck by using stop-sticks in an effort to blow out the tires. The sticks did flatten the tires, but Mims, who allegedly fired shots at police during the chase, kept driving north on Interstate 85 through Rowan County before finally stopping in the middle of the northbound lane between milemarkers 89 and 91 near Lexington around 5 a.m.
“[Mims] had three of his four tires knocked out but he kept coming,” Davidson County Sheriff David Grice said. “He was on the rims until he got to our county. We had to shut the interstate down because it was alleged he had a gun in the car. He entered Davidson County at around 4:53 a.m. and refused to come out.”
Police halted traffic on I-85 traveling in both directions as the suspect refused to exit his vehicle. Grice said Mims was acting like he wanted officers to shoot him and had been drinking Clorox bleach. Grice called the S.W.A.T. team and High Point Police Department for use of its armored personnel carrier as negotiators attempted to talk Mims out of his vehicle.
“We continued to negotiate with [Mims],” said Grice. “A Rowan County deputy started talking with him and we engaged in negotiation. He implied that he wanted us to take his life. He rolled the window down and was making motions with his hands. He was vomiting out the side of the car. We got the APC there and went up beside the truck with our SWAT guys.”
Grice said Mim’s became thirsty and eventually surrendered around 8:30 a.m. Police reopened I-85 shortly after 9 a.m. Mims is charged in South Carolina with one count of murder, assault and battery with intent to kill and arson. Grice said Mims, who was taken to Lexington Memorial Hospital after throwing up blood from consuming a gallon of bleach, will face numerous traffic violations. The condition of Mims’ stepdaughter was not released.
“I suggested that we exchange him some water if he’ll talk with us,” Grice said. “We got a bottle of water but he thought it was tampered with so we got him another one. One of our deputies is from South Carolina and that general region, so he started talking with him. Our deputy was able to negotiate with him and he eventually just stepped out [of the car]. We have to thank our friends at HPPD.”
Grice said North Carolina Highway Patrol, DCSO, Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, Lexington Police Department, Spencer Police Department and HPPD were all involved in the incident.
Staff Writer Eliot Duke can be reached at 888-3578, or duke@tvilletimes.com.
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