Chaos erupted in the streets of Fayetteville early this morning when a traffic stop turned into a fatal pursuit. According to a statement from the Fayetteville Police Department, officers located a stolen vehicle around 12:30 a.m. and attempted to pull over the driver. The situation quickly escalated when the driver ignored police commands and sped away.
The chase, which wove through the city, came to a catastrophic end on Route 301 South. Officers, who had lost the vehicle for a moment, arrived to find it wrecked after colliding with an innocent driver. The suspect attempted to flee the scene on foot but was apprehended. Inside the stolen car was a fatal casualty, a person thrown from the vehicle amid the crash. The other passenger in the stolen vehicle, along with the suspect, were transported to the hospital for care.
The driver of the second vehicle involved in the collision sustained no serious injuries and received medical attention at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center. The identity of the deceased has not been released, as authorities are still in the process of notifying family members.
The North Carolina State Highway Patrol is now taking the lead on the investigation into the fatal incident. Meanwhile, the Fayetteville Police Department’s Internal Affairs Unit will scrutinize the officers' response to and handling of the chase.
