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Convicted felon accused of stealing parole officer's vehicle while in handcuffs

By Liz Foster
By Liz Foster

MONROE, N.C. — A convicted felon is accused of stealing his parole officer’s vehicle and driving off while in handcuffs.

Channel 9 obtained exclusive video from a Monroe police officer’s body-worn camera that shows the moment Louis Gurganus was arrested Tuesday evening.

The state’s Department of Public Safety is investigating how Gurganus managed to steal the vehicle.

“That’s crazy,” Chris McDaniel in Monroe said when hearing about the incident. “How could he do that being handcuffed?”

A parole officer brought Gurganus to Carolinas Medical Center-Union around 5 p.m. Tuesday after arresting him for a parole violation. Gurganus had complained of a medical issue.

A spokesperson for DPS told Eyewitness News anchor Liz Foster the officer got out of the vehicle to get a code to enter the hospital and that’s when Gurganus allegedly jumped in the driver’s seat and took off.

“Anytime anybody is fleeing in a vehicle, it creates a dangerous situation for other motorists, other pedestrians,” said Pete Hovanec, a spokesman for Monroe Police.

Police said Gurganus drove 4 miles down Highway 74 and then Highway 601 South. Other drivers called 911 to report the state DPS vehicle driving recklessly.

One caller said, “[He] almost hit a car, went up on the curb, I don’t know if he’s drinking or not.”

Another 911 caller told a dispatcher, “I don’t know if he stole the car or if it’s one of your employees gone crazy.”

Monroe police said Gurganus pulled the vehicle into a wooded area off Whitestore Road, got out and tried to run, but police arrested him.

“He could’ve hurt somebody. It’s crazy,” McDaniel said.

A DPS spokesperson told Channel 9 they do not believe the parole officer broke any policies, but the department is investigating how the incident happened.

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