A 47-year-old Moore, South Carolina woman led deputies on a chase spanning more than 30 miles across three counties on Thursday morning, reaching speeds of 140 mph before turning her car into oncoming traffic on Interstate 26. A Newberry County deputy ultimately rammed her vehicle to stop it, ending a pursuit that authorities say began with a disturbance call and nearly turned deadly.
The chase started Thursday morning after a disturbance call in Spartanburg County and stretched more than 30 miles along I-26 through Laurens County before ending in Newberry County, according to wltx.com. Authorities identified the driver as Marcy Lynn Goddard, who they say fled from deputies on I-26 eastbound in Spartanburg County after the initial call, according to wyff4.com.
Speeds Topped 140 MPH Even After Tires Were Deflated
Goddard reached 140 mph during the pursuit, according to authorities cited by wltx.com. The Newberry County Sheriff's Office used a tire deflation device during the chase, but she kept driving at speeds ranging from 50 to 100 mph even after her tires were flattened. Authorities also accused her of driving recklessly through two construction zones on the deflated tires and of attempting to strike South Carolina Highway Patrol troopers on two separate occasions.
At some point during the pursuit, Goddard's vehicle struck the interstate's cable barrier system. The report notes she then spun around and began driving the wrong way on the interstate, heading west in the eastbound lanes and directly into oncoming traffic.
Deputy Rams Vehicle to Stop Wrong-Way Driver
A Newberry County deputy drove into Goddard's vehicle to prevent it from continuing into oncoming traffic, according to the Newberry County Sheriff's Office. Newberry County Sheriff Lee Foster said wrong-way driving on an interstate carries a high potential for causing fatal collisions, and he described the deputy's decision as a courageous act that placed the deputy's own safety at risk to protect innocent motorists.
Goddard was arrested at the scene and taken by EMS to Newberry Health Hospital for treatment of minor injuries related to glass and debris inside the car, the same report states. Authorities said she was expected to face charges of failure to stop for a law enforcement officer, attempted murder, resisting arrest with a deadly weapon, endangering a highway worker and driving under the influence, per wltx.com's reporting.
Independent Investigation Ordered
Because South Carolina Highway Patrol troopers were involved in the chase, the Richland County Sheriff's Department has been called in to independently investigate the crash that ended the pursuit, wltx.com reports.
Wrong-way pursuits on South Carolina interstates have turned deadly before. On Dec. 29, 2023, a wrong-way chase in Richland County ended in a head-on crash on Interstate 126 that killed suspect Byron Pringle and left driver Pamela Baker with several fractures in her ankle and spine, according to wistv.com. That same report found that at least 30% of law-enforcement pursuits nationwide result in a crash, and that 21% of people injured in chases across the country are bystanders with no involvement in the underlying incident.
