Last Saturday night in Morganton, a dramatic incident ensued when Cassandra Queen, a 34-year-old woman from Lexington, was arrested following a vehicular altercation. According to WCNC, Queen is accused of ramming into a patrol car, leading officers on a pursuit, and causing damage to a civilian vehicle.
The sequence began near Toner's Pub in downtown Morganton, where a parked car was struck and subsequently forced into a utility pole around 11:30 p.m. Once alerted to a hit-and-run, local authorities quickly located the suspect's vehicle in an Ingles parking lot on Carbon City Road, just two miles from the initial incident site. When officers approached the vehicle, police described Queen's behavior as uncooperative and suspected her of impairment and possession of contraband. In a failed attempt to apprehend her, Queen initiated her escape, resulting in her colliding with the patrol car and fleeing the scene, WBTV reports.
Morganton Public Safety officers attempted to use verbal de-escalation techniques, which, despite their efforts, were unsuccessful. "Queen put her car in reverse, ramming a City of Morganton Patrol Car and exiting between two other cars, leaving the parking lot," a police spokesperson detailed, as WCNC reported. Her erratic drive continued onto Jamestown Road towards Interstate 40, where she persisted eastbound, disregarding the sirens and lights.
The ensuing chase raised the stakes, as police worked diligently to ensure other motorists' safety on the busy interstate. The Morganton Department of Public Safety highlighted the woman's refusal to yield to the urgent pleas of officers as she steered her vehicle with capricious unpredictability. "Ensuring the safety of others on the interstate," remained a primary concern throughout the pursuit, was emphasized by officials, as per details obtained by WCNC. The incident comes to a close with Queen's capture and charges awaiting her in relation to the chain of disturbances she reportedly set off.
