Curtis Mellott
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The father of the man suspected of stealing a plane from a Chapel hill airport said he is "relieved" his son is in custody.
Curtis Mellott, 46, turned himself in Thursday afternoon, according to Alamance County Sheriff's Office spokesman Randy Jones.
Mellott was arrested before 3:30 p.m. at his Chapel-Hill home located at 114 Mel Oak Drive. He's charged with larceny of an aircraft and also faces a possession of stolen property charge in Alamance County.
After the arrest, officers took him from the UNC Public Safety office to a hospital around 5 p.m. He had a visible wound on his forehead. From there he was expected to be taken to the Orange County magistrate's office where his bond and court date would be set.
NBC 17 was the only media outlet to talk with his father, Calvin Mellott, after the arrest Thursday evening. He said he could "rest much easier" knowing his son is in custody and that there was "not too much trouble he can get into" in jail.
While Calvin Mellott said he doesn't plan to turn his back on his son, he said he has some "hard love" ahead.
He said he hopes to talk with Curtis in the next few days and hopes to "get some answers."
Calvin Mellott said the "outpouring of concern and hope for well-being from the community is overwhelming and we appreciate it."
Some neighbors said they did not hear anything as the arrest happened Thursday afternoon.
"Bottom line, I am glad he is apparently physically OK, but he has got to accept responsibility and accept consequences," said Janet Shrader, who lives across the street from Mellott.
Mellott is suspected of stealing a small plane sometime between 9 p.m. Monday and 6 a.m. Tuesday from the Horace Williams Airport in Chapel Hill. Investigtors believe Mellott crashed the plane after the first fuel tank ran out of fuel and Mellott was unaware how to switch to the secondary tank.
The FAA says Civil Air Patrol discovered the Piper PA32 in a field around 12:45 p.m. Tuesday. The plane crashed in a wooded area off of Wildlife Club Road in Graham.
"What it appears is the plane just came out of the sky in a circular motion crashing here. … [H]ad it come straight in, we'd probably found the pilot in the plane," Alamance County Sheriff Terry Johnson said.
Johnson said investigators believe the suspect crawled out of a window and took off through the woods, leaving a bloody trail behind. Deputies were able to follow the suspect's trail to an intersection of Snow Camp Road and Highway 87 South in the Eli Whitney community.
Johnson said the trail indicated the suspect was heading in the direction of Chapel Hill.
Larry Fitzgerald Warren, who owns the plane, was unaware the plane was stolen until the Alamance County Sheriff’s office contacted him Tuesday afternoon. He had seen his plane Monday night.
Randy Young, spokesman for the University's police department, said at times the airport is not staffed between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. Young says a person could fit through the gate at the airport, but not a vehicle.
Young said Mellott would likely face a larceny charge. Anything beyond that will depend on the investigation and the district attorney, he said.
Jones said the suspect could face a possession of stolen property charge in Alamance County.
Jones said at least one media outlet and a federal agency had contacted investigators wondering if the theft might be terrorist-related. Jones said there’s no indication of that at this point in the investigation.
Original article, photos and video: http://www2.nbc17.com
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