A routine traffic stop on Interstate 95 in Halifax County turned into a 100-mph chase shortly after 1 a.m. on Monday, ending only after a North Carolina Highway Patrol trooper rammed the fleeing car off the road near Gaston. Two men from out of state, Johnathan Nelson, 42, of Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, and Jason Nelson, 42, of Greene, Maine, were arrested after a brief foot chase once the vehicle finally stopped.
According to the Roanoke Rapids Daily Herald, the pursuit began when Cpl. R. Lafayette tried to stop a vehicle traveling south on I-95 near mile marker 168. Per RRSpin, Major Anzell Harris said the vehicle instead pulled into a gas station off exit 168 before the driver accelerated west on Highway 903, kicking off a chase that reached speeds of more than 100 mph.
Driver Allegedly Veers Toward Trooper Before Impact
The vehicle continued through Roanoke Rapids and into Gaston, turning onto Highway 46 west, according to RRSpin's account of the pursuit. As Sergeant A. Wood headed to join the chase, the driver allegedly steered toward him in an apparent attempt to hit him head-on, forcing Wood to perform an evasive maneuver to avoid a collision — but the vehicle still struck the driver's side of his patrol car's push bumper, the Daily Herald reports. Wood's vehicle remained operable despite the impact, per RRSpin.
Stop sticks were deployed on Highway 48 near Heritage Lane as the chase continued, according to RRSpin's reporting. The pursuit finally ended when Trooper D.J. Brake executed a pit maneuver, bringing the vehicle to a stop. First Sergeant Levern Bynum said the maneuver ended the pursuit in Gaston, adding that officers worked together to stop the vehicle and protect officers and the community, according to RRSpin.
Conflicting Reports on Where the Chase Ended
Accounts differ on the exact spot where the pursuit concluded. The Daily Herald reported that the chase ended on Dr. Hall Road in the Highway 46 area of Gaston following the successful pit maneuver, while Shore News Network reported that authorities apprehended both occupants when the chase ended on State Road 1218 in Northampton County. Both occupants fled on foot once the vehicle stopped but were caught after a brief foot chase, per Major Harris's account relayed by RRSpin.
A search of Johnathan Nelson turned up crack cocaine inside a crossbody bag, the Daily Herald reports. He now faces a lengthy list of charges from the Halifax County Sheriff's Office, including felony fleeing to elude arrest, assault with a deadly weapon on a government official, felony possession of a Schedule II controlled substance, resisting a public officer, reckless driving, driving while license revoked and failing to stop at a stop signal. Trooper Brake separately cited him for hit-and-run, driving with no operator's license, reckless driving with wanton disregard, driving left of center, failure to wear a seat belt and exceeding the posted speed limit, according to RRSpin.
Passenger Also Charged, Both Due in Court
Jason Nelson, identified as the passenger, was charged with resisting a public officer by the Halifax County Sheriff's Office, the Daily Herald reports. Trooper Brake additionally charged him with failure to give information, allowing an unlicensed person to operate a motor vehicle and failure to wear a seat belt, per RRSpin's account.
Johnathan Nelson was taken to the Halifax County Detention Center under a $75,000 secured bond, while Jason Nelson was held there on a $2,000 secured bond, according to the Daily Herald. Both men have a Nov. 3 court date in Halifax County, the outlet reports. The response drew help from HCSO Lieutenant E. Richardson, the Roanoke Rapids Police Department, Halifax County Emergency Communications and the Northampton County Sheriff's Office, according to RRSpin.
Part of a Rising Statewide Trend
The chase adds to what state records describe as a worsening pattern of high-speed pursuits across North Carolina. Deadly police pursuits in the state climbed from nine in 2018 to 22 in 2022, the highest total since 1996, according to the News & Observer. The newspaper also found that North Carolina Highway Patrol pursuits more than doubled from 454 in 2019 to 1,053 in 2022, with at least 29 deaths and 49 serious injuries tied to those chases. From 2012 to 2022, 138 people died in pursuits statewide, including two officers, 72 occupants of fleeing vehicles and 61 drivers in other vehicles, per the News & Observer's analysis.
Under North Carolina law, fleeing to elude arrest at high speed is addressed by General Statute 20-141.5, according to the North Carolina General Assembly. The outcome of Monday's charges against both men, including whether they will face a jury or reach a plea, remains to be determined when their case returns to Halifax County court next week.
