A traffic stop led to multiple felony charges in Chapel Hill.

Chapel Hill Police arrested 35-year-old Ricardo Anthony Dixon on Tuesday afternoon and charged him with seven felony counts for various offenses, including breaking into Culbreth Middle School.

Chapel Hill Police Lieutenant Josh Mecimore says the arrest started with an officer checking motorists speed on Highway 54, just past 15-501.

“[The officer] clocked a car speeding into town, 66 in a 45,” Mecimore says. “He turned around to stop the vehicle. They were, sort of, driving suspiciously after he got behind them and then refused to stop when he tried to stop them.”

Mecimore says as the suspect led officers on a brief chase, one individual jumped out of the car and waited for authorities on the side of 15-501.

Dixon, who was driving the vehicle, later jumped from the car and ran into the woods.

“Officers pursued him into the woods,” Mecimore says. “Then we started setting up a perimeter around the area that he was in and got one of our K-9 units to come.

“Probably not the best day to be running because all of our dogs were actually here for training.”

Mecimore says only one of the department’s four police dogs was needed to track down Dixon in the woods near where the vehicle was abandoned, around Coker Drive.

Dixon was taken into custody just before four o’clock Tuesday afternoon.

Mecimore says investigators linked Dixon to a break-in at Culbreth Middle School that occurred early Tuesday morning.

Dixon was charged with several felonies including breaking and entering, larceny, possession of a stolen vehicle, speeding to elude arrest and possession of burglary tools. He is also facing misdemeanor counts including reckless driving, damage to real property and possession of stolen goods.

Durham Police also charged Dixon in connection with a series of break-ins at Durham Public Schools similar to the break-in at Culbreth. Dixon is facing multiple counts of breaking and entering, larceny after breaking and entering, injury to property and conspiracy in Durham.

Dixon is being held in the Orange County Jail under a $52,500 secured bond and was scheduled to appear in court Thursday morning.

Dixon’s passenger that jumped out of the car and waited for authorities was not charged with any crimes.

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