A Buncombe County man has pleaded guilty to felony assault of an officer for ramming a patrol car and fleeing from law enforcement at speeds in excess of 100 mph.
Jeffery Lane Gillespie, 42, was sentenced in Buncombe County Superior Court last week to 90-120 months in prison. His sentence stems from a July 3, 2025, incident in which Gillespie fled police at over 100 mph before intentionally ramming a Buncombe County Sheriff deputy’s patrol cruiser head-on.
The sentence was heightened due to the state’s Habitual Felon Act, which mandates that defendants with multiple felonies be given stiffer sentences. Gillespie’s prior convictions include Assault with a Deadly Weapon Inflicting Serious Injury, Armed Robbery, and others…