News Release
Date/Time of Offense: Monday, August 29, 2022.
Offense(s)/Charge(s): Felony Assault with a Deadly Weapon on Government Official
Felony Possession of Firearm by a Convicted Felon
Felony Trafficking of a Schedule II Controlled Substance (Fentanyl)
Felony Possession with Intent to Sell or Deliver a Schedule II Controlled
Substance (Fentanyl)
Felony Possession of Marijuana
Felony Maintaining a Vehicle for the Sale or Use of a Controlled
Substance
Felony Possession with Intent to Sell or Deliver Marijuana
Misdemeanor Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Felony Flee to Elude Arrest
Misdemeanor Carry a Concealed Gun
Misdemeanor Resisting Arrest
Location of Incident: Interstate77 South near Mile Marker 61.
Suspect(s): Muhammad Zakariyya Abdur-Rahim, 31 Years Old
1005 Gemstone Drive
York, South Carolina 29745
Sheriff Darren Campbell stated: On Monday, August 29, 2022, deputies with the Iredell County Interstate Criminal Enforcement (ICE) Team conducted a traffic stop on a BMW sedan with South Carolina Registration Plates for traffic violations.
During the course of the stop, the deputies gained enough evidence necessary to search the car. While searching the vehicle, a concealed handgun and vacuum-packed bags of Marijuana were located.
As the deputies were about to arrest the suspect, Muhammad Zakariyya Abdur-Rahim, he began to resist and assaulted two deputies. One of the deputies attempted to use a Tazer, but it was unsuccessful.
Abdur-Rahim was able to get back into the vehicle and drive away from the deputies. The deputies began pursuing Abdur-Rahim on Interstate 77 South. Additional deputies responded and deployed Stop Sticks. However, the suspect was able to avoid them and continued onto Highway 21 South.
The suspect continued to the Lowe’s Hardware parking lot. When the suspect exited the parking lot back onto Highway 21, he accelerated and rammed a sheriff’s marked patrol vehicle.
After ramming the patrol vehicle, Abdur-Rahim continued his attempt to flee. He turned into the Iredell County Health Department where his car became disabled. The suspect then fled on foot for a short distance when deputies took him into custody.
After the suspect was detained, the deputies were able to continue searching the vehicle. The search uncovered a compressed brick of Fentanyl weighing 1.4 pounds. The Fentanyl has an approximate street value of 125,400.00 dollars.
While the deputies were processing Abdur-Rahim, they determined he is a convicted felon who was released from Federal Prison in 2019 after serving 70- months for firearm-related charges.
Muhammad Zakariyya Abdur-Rahim was transported to the Iredell County Detention Center, where he was charged with: Felony Assault with a Deadly Weapon on Government Official,
Felony Possession of Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Felony Trafficking of a Schedule II Controlled Substance (Fentanyl), Felony Possession with Intent to Sell or Deliver a Schedule II Controlled Substance (Fentanyl), Felony Possession of Marijuana, Felony Maintaining a Vehicle for the Sale or Use of a Controlled Substance, Felony Possession with Intent to Sell or Deliver Marijuana, Misdemeanor Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Felony Flee to Elude Arrest, Misdemeanor Carry a Concealed Gun, and Misdemeanor Resisting Arrest.
Magistrate D. Chambers issued Abdur-Rahim a 500,000.00 dollars secured bond on these charges.
Sheriff Campbell added, “The amount of Fentanyl seized today is enough to potentially kill 250,000 people according to DEA research. That is more people than the current population of Iredell County. The way he interacted with the deputies, the way he drove his vehicle into our deputy’s vehicle, his erratic driving on the busy roads, the way he ran after wrecking his vehicle, the amount of drugs he had in his possession, and his prior criminal history shows this man has no regard for the safety of Iredell County. These are the same drugs that are plaguing our nation and flowing over the border and into many communities across this nation. Bottom line, this arrest saved lives here in Iredell County.”
