A suspect was arrested following an attempted break-in and property damage at Lake Norman Airport, according to a statement released on April 30. The incident occurred in the early morning hours of April 25, when law enforcement responded to a burglary alarm at the airport on Yeager Road in Mooresville.
The case is significant for the local community due to the scale of property damage and ongoing investigation involving multiple agencies. According to Sheriff Darren Campbell, Deputy M. Dyson arrived within three minutes of being dispatched and found an ATV with its door open and several items scattered nearby. There was substantial damage to the building’s front door and windows, but no entry had been gained.
Deputies from Iredell County worked with the Mooresville Police Department to establish a perimeter around the area. A canine track led officers to believe that suspects fled by vehicle from the parking lot. The business sustained approximately $2,500 in damages as reported by officials.
Detective Moore continued investigating and identified a suspect vehicle connected with the incident. Authorities later learned that deputies in Calhoun County, South Carolina found this vehicle engulfed in flames on Interstate 26. Through further investigation, Justice Marcell Phillips, age 20 of Statesville, North Carolina, was identified as a suspect.
Phillips was arrested by Calhoun County deputies on charges including impeding the roadway, providing false information, and resisting arrest. Based on evidence gathered during their investigation, Deputy Dyson obtained warrants charging Phillips with felony breaking and entering of a motor vehicle as well as felony attempted breaking and entering of a building; he remains in custody in South Carolina.
On April 27 deputies returned to Lake Norman Airport after additional property damage was discovered—this time involving an aircraft with estimated losses around $50,000—and obtained another warrant for Phillips for felony damage to property.
Meanwhile in education news relevant to Iredell County: Of senior students taking science portions of the ACT during 2022-23 school year across local districts, only about one quarter were considered college ready according to state data. Junior students showed similar results as reported by state officials. In reading sections among seniors nearly 37% met college readiness benchmarks according to state reports, while juniors scored slightly higher as noted by state education sources. Math scores indicated roughly one quarter or less were deemed ready for college-level work among both juniors and seniors.
The broader implications highlight ongoing challenges facing both public safety efforts related to crime prevention as well as educational preparedness within Iredell County.