A late-night police chase through Hope Mills turned into a near miss for law enforcement on Monday, when officers say a fleeing driver opened fire at them from a stolen car before crashing into an embankment. The man behind the wheel, a Fayetteville resident, was arrested at the scene, and officers say he tossed a gun out the window during the pursuit. No officers were hurt. The suspect is being held without bond while the case moves into court.
How officers say the pursuit began
According to ABC11, the trouble started around 11:20 p.m., when an officer tried to pull over a vehicle that Fayetteville police had reported stolen. Instead of stopping, the driver allegedly hit the gas and took off. Officer Tony Tyndal, backed up by Officers Thompson and Williams, followed the car as additional units worked to box in the area and keep the chase contained.
Shots fired, crash and arrest
WRAL reports that the driver was identified as 26-year-old J'Quan Fitzgerald. During the pursuit, Fitzgerald allegedly fired at the officers from inside the moving vehicle before losing control and crashing into an embankment. Officers took him into custody at the crash site. No officers were injured, and police say Fitzgerald was already wanted by the Fayetteville Police Department on several earlier charges.
Weapon recovered and modification
Detectives and members of the Hope Mills Police Department's Special Operations Division called in K-9 Xander to help track down the gun investigators say was hurled out of the car mid-chase. As reported by ABC11, officers recovered the firearm and discovered an illegal "firearm switch" attached, a modification that can enable automatic firing.
Charges and what's next
In Hope Mills, Fitzgerald is facing a stack of felony charges that includes fleeing to elude arrest, possession of a stolen vehicle, assault with a deadly weapon on a law enforcement officer, possession of a weapon of mass destruction, possession of a firearm by a felon, and driving with a revoked license, according to WRAL. He is being held without bond at the Cumberland County Detention Center and is scheduled to make his first court appearance on April 16.
Legal implications
The slate of allegations includes multiple serious felonies, and a conviction on even a portion of them could bring significant prison time. The "weapon of mass destruction" charge appears to be tied to the alleged illegal modification of the gun. The Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office will review the investigative file, decide which counts to formally pursue, and steer the case through the court system in the weeks ahead.
