What started as a hit-and-run call in Hillsborough on Monday escalated into a multi-county chase of a U-Haul box truck that raced down I-40 before law enforcement finally shut it down near Exit 261 and took the driver into custody on the west side of Greensboro.
Deputies say the truck fled the original crash scene in Hillsborough and refused to stop, triggering a pursuit across county lines. Stop-sticks were deployed to cripple the vehicle before the driver was arrested, and authorities say items later recovered from the truck raised additional concerns as charges were being put together.
According to telecommunicators, deputies were first dispatched after Hillsborough police requested help with a reported hit-and-run. Deputies then spotted a U-Haul box truck they say took off on I-40 near Exit 261.
Officials say Alamance County deputies rolled out stop-sticks that punctured the front passenger-side tire, but the truck kept going. Guilford County deputies later used another round of stop-sticks that disabled the front and rear driver’s-side tires before the vehicle was finally brought to a stop near Highway 29 and Guilford College Road.
A U-Haul representative authorized a private company to tow the truck to an undisclosed location, and deputies transported the driver to the Orange County magistrate, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Office.
Charges and evidence
Officials identified the suspect as 58-year-old Timothy Leroy Durham of Hampton, Virginia. They say he is charged with felony flee to elude, driving while impaired, simple possession of a Schedule VI drug and multiple traffic offenses.
Deputies reported finding a hatchet, a black mask, a camo mask, pliers, gloves, marijuana cigarettes, about 3.5 grams of additional marijuana and 17 rounds of rifle ammunition inside the U-Haul.
"The magistrate remanded Durham to the custody of the detention center under a $50,000 secure bond," the sheriff's office wrote, adding that the Highway Patrol is weighing additional counts tied to an alleged attempt to veer into a trooper.
Durham had a first court appearance scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Monday, the release says, and he was transported to the detention center.
What North Carolina law says about eluding
Under North Carolina law, "speeding to elude arrest" is ordinarily a misdemeanor but can become a felony if two or more aggravating factors are present, such as driving more than 15 mph over the speed limit, gross impairment, reckless driving or negligent driving that causes substantial property damage.
Felony eluding convictions can carry driver license revocations and may expose a defendant to vehicle seizure or forfeiture in certain circumstances. See N.C. General Statutes §20-141.5 for details.
Next steps
Hillsborough police may pursue hit-and-run charges related to the initial crash while the Highway Patrol completes its review of the reported interaction with the trooper.
Prosecutors will review the evidence and determine whether to file any additional charges. If Durham is convicted of an enhanced elude offense, state law allows for longer license revocations and stiffer penalties. Officials are asking anyone with information about the original hit-and-run to contact local law enforcement.
