A man's angry girlfriend gave him up to police, and now he is charged with leading officers on two high-speed chases through three counties.

A friend said James Stewart knew if he was arrested again, he would go to prison for a long time.

Police said that is why he was willing to do anything, even ram a police car to get away.

Officers said Stewart managed to elude police in Lincoln, Gaston and Mecklenburg Counties in two different police pursuits less than a week apart; but Stewart could not get away from a fed-up girlfriend.

She called police after they got into a fight at a Gastonia motel on Saturday. Officers are thankful for that call.

A Cramerton police officer said Stewart tried to ram him three times during this pursuit last week.

Stewart wanted to be clear on that in court.

"I did not hit their car with my truck," he said. He tried to explain why he would not stop for police.

"The only reason I don't this, running from the…" Stewart began. The judge asked him to save it for the trial.

"Surprising," said Kim Rushton who used to live next door to Stewart in McAdenville. "I never thought he would be the type of person that would do that," she said.

Eyewitness News discovered 39-year-old Stewart has had several run-ins with the law.

He has been in prison 11 times in the past 21 years.

Ron Rollins let Stewart live with him in the past.

He said Stewart admitted to stealing because his criminal record kept him from getting a good job.

"He said he didn't have a choice. He had to do something to make money," said Rollins.

He said in July that Stewart made bond on a pending charge of possession of stolen property.

"How stupid that was," said Rollins.

Rollins said Stewart moved out when police came to the house looking for him in other theft cases earlier this year.

Then last week, he said he saw Stewart's truck on TV followed by a line of police.

"He needs to straighten his life up and get a job," said Rollings.

The assistant DA said Stewart is a habitual felon. He wanted the bond increased to a $1 million.

The judge set it a $500,000.

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