JOHNSTON COUNTY – Saturday afternoon, a suspect reportedly pulled into a Four Oaks convenience store parking lot, got out of his car then got into another car, which did not belong to him, and drove away with the stolen car.
A message was sent to all Johnston County law enforcement agencies to the be on the lookout for the stolen car. Within minutes, Selma Police spotted the stolen vehicle and attempted to make a traffic stop. The suspected car thief failed to pull over and attempted to elude arrest.
Selma Police requested assistance from the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies took over the pursuit, which eventually led them to Highway 96, north of Selma.
According to authorities, the suspect nearly caused a head-on crash when he attempted to pass a slower vehicle, which led to a chain reaction crash involving several vehicles, including a sheriff’s office cruiser. A second patrol car veered off the roadway into a field to avoid the collision.
The suspect was quickly taken into custody and faces a long list of charges, including fleeing to elude arrest and possession of a stolen motor vehicle.
Only minor injuries were reported.
The State Highway Patrol was not involved in the pursuit but did investigate the collision.
It is unacceptable to endanger innocent lives over property, no matter who is to blame. If it is in your power, you must avoid it.
Great job by all LEOs involved.
So so dangerous chasing through traffic in Selma. I was in the middle of it and surprised no one was hurt sooner. Hope it was imperative enough to catch them to risk all the lives that were put at risk.
This unfortunately was my mother’s vehicle that was stolen by her son from her home several days ago. We have tried everything to get help with getting it back but unfortunately this the end result.
I want the criminal apprehended in ALL cases. When convicted in court, sentence them to active incarceration for 5 years for running from the LEO. If an innocent person is injured 10-15 years incarceration. If someone is killed due to the pursuit, 20+ years. No exceptions…
And the District Attorney should be required to Show Cause for any dismissal or reduction of charges in ALL cases.
And in this case, I’ll be willing to bet the owner of the stolen car left the key in it. And that person should be held liable for their carelessness…
Now that is a GREAT plan!
This guy needs to be hung. To me if he was trading vehicles to run and hide then he was hiding from something more than a stolen vehicle and it had to be big, so, to me the chase was justified and the fact that this guy could have killed several people in the process then he needs a long, long jail term. The Police can’t just let these people go or that is the tactic all the criminals would use then crime would be worse than it already is. Great job to all the LEOs involved.
Great job We should support our law enforcement officers . Yes it was dangerous for everyone but he needed to be caught before he endangered more lives . Not the court system needed to make sure he stays off the roads .
Dag gone straight, half these people need to go back to making their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Always complaining about how this and that is done but couldn’t do it any better themselves.
It always surprises me when people blame the cops for a vehicle chase instead of the suspect. Police work is inherently dangerous because you’re dealing with bad people. It’s like blaming the dentist for your pain/discomfort during a root canal. Chases are dangerous, that’s why it’s a felony to run. Perhaps all of our judges should collaborate to impose the maximum sentence and award treble damages to victims injured because of their actions to show the criminals that JoCo isn’t the place to run from the Law..
Cops could have bided their time and wait til the thief wasn’t in the car. People with stolen cars always run and crash. Cops enjoy chasing them and prefer they run and crash and you know it
I remember a time in Johnston County when people let law enforcement do their jobs and didn’t wine about it everytime that they did. Maybe the Sherrifs office should start handing out complimentary Kleenex.
hahahha too funny! kleenex ! Frickin babies !
Well at least you spelled Kleenex right.
You got that right!
Who’s the thief ?
Not sure why comments seem to blame the law enforcement agencies for putting people in danger, how about Let’s hold the idiots that decide to break the law accountable as much as some of you seem to want to blame the cops. Ridiculous…. big part of what’s wrong with this country.
These comments are a joke. If the Joco Sheriff’s Office gets a strict chase policy like these liberal city PDs have in Wake County, we will get the crime that comes with them. Yes it is dangerous, but necessary to keep law and order!!! Y’all would be happier letting violent criminals run rampant and keeping law enforcement’s hands tied!!!
What’s wrong with leaving the keys in your car and your house unlocked I have always done so if people leave other people stuff alone there want be any problem
Glad to know the majority of my fellow citizens support the LEO for doing their jobs. If we just let people commit crimes then flee in a stolen car or even their own car we would have a chaotic criminal infested county. Criminals would know all they gotta do is flee and LE is unauthorized to pursue them. I know it sucked where you came from, but….You people from California or the big Democrat run cities need to leave us alone to take care of business. There is a reason you came here. Dont try to make “here” like “there”.
I feel that it is a case by case situation as to whether or not to pursue. No doubt about it that it puts everyone in danger including the law enforcement as we see here in the pics one deputy crashing and one deputy running off the road in a field to avoid the first deputy. But common sense has to come into play at some point.