ROCKINGHAM — Two Richmond Senior student athletes will appear in court next month on felony sex crime charges after allegedly being caught parked with a pre-teen on New Year’s Eve.
Leon Malik Zeigler, 19, of Page Street in Hamlet and Exzevian Vontrell Quick, 18, of Stanback Lane, north of Rockingham, were taken into custody by the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office following a short chase. The vehicles other occupant was an unidentified 12-year-old, who was also taken into custody before parents were contacted.
According to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy was “checking a dead-end area” off Sandhill Road on Dec. 31 when he spotted a vehicle parked at the end.
When the deputy flashed his emergency lights to identify himself as law enforcement, investigators say the vehicle sped away. Following the short chase, investigators say the three occupants were taken into custody.
An investigator took over the case and determined there was probable cause to charge Quick with first-degree statutory sex offense and Zeigler with statutory sex offense with a child by an adult, according the sheriff’s office.
Investigators say Zeigler and Quick turned themselves in to the sheriff’s office Friday morning where they were each arrested, processed and given $25,000 secured bond.
Zeigler was booked into the Richmond County Jail at 9:47 a.m. on March 24 and bailed out about an hour later, records show. There is no record of Quick going to jail.
Both are scheduled to appear in Richmond County District Court on April 13.
All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Zeigler was the Raiders’ quarterback for two years, and finished up his high school career as Richmond’s all-time leader in completions, passing yards and touchdowns in a season, as well as passing yards, touchdowns and passing percentage in a game.
On the basketball court, Zeigler’s scoring — including a 42-point performance against Vance last month — helped the Raiders break school and state records for most points scored in a game.
Zeigler, who also runs track, recently signed a letter of intent to play football at Catawba College in Salisbury.
Quick also played basketball and is on the track team. There is no word on if they have been suspended from the team.
Richmond County Schools did not issue a statement.
Reach William R. Toler at 910-817-2675 and follow him on Twitter @William_r_toler.
