Man Gets 137-Month Federal Sentence After Johnston County Shooting, Chase

JOHNSTON COUNTY – A Garner man already serving a lengthy state prison sentence for firing a shotgun into a woman’s vehicle and leading officers on a high-speed chase has now been sentenced to 137 months in federal prison.

A federal judge sentenced Murad Taylor on Monday for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He pleaded guilty to the federal charge July 15.

The federal case stems from the same Sept. 5, 2025 incident that resulted in Taylor’s conviction earlier this year in Johnston County Superior Court.

Around 2:30 p.m. that day, prosecutors said Taylor followed a woman from the Holiday Inn Express off Veterans Parkway near I-40 to the intersection of Veterans Parkway and NC 50.

When the woman stopped at a traffic light, Taylor pulled alongside her and fired a 12-gauge pump shotgun into the passenger side of her Hyundai Elantra.

The woman was not injured.

Taylor fled in a black Nissan Rogue. A witness followed long enough to provide 911 dispatchers with a vehicle description and license plate number before being advised to stop for safety reasons.

Johnston County sheriff’s deputies later located Taylor, leading to a pursuit that continued onto Interstate 40 and into Wake County.

Authorities said Taylor reached speeds exceeding 100 mph before exiting onto Jones Sausage Road. The chase ended when he lost control and crashed into another vehicle stopped at a traffic light.

Deputies recovered the shotgun and a spent shell casing from Taylor’s vehicle.

A Johnston County jury convicted Taylor March 13 of discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle, felony fleeing to elude arrest and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Superior Court Judge Paul Holcombe later sentenced him to consecutive state prison terms totaling 108 to 160 months.

The federal prosecution focused on Taylor’s possession of the firearm as a convicted felon.

U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan sentenced Taylor Monday to 137 months in federal prison.

“This gun toting convicted felon will no longer terrorize the Johnston County community. His long rap sheet is a proof of his disregard for the law and the families and children in this community,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “By the grace of God, he didn’t kill his victim, even though he tried. He can spend the next eleven and half years peering through the cold bars of a federal prison cell to think about behaving in society.”

Johnston County Sheriff Steve Bizzell said the case demonstrates the importance of cooperation among local, state and federal agencies.

“This case demonstrates what local and federal partners achieve together for Johnston County. From response to prosecution, it was a team effort, and I thank the District Attorney’s Office and Dangerous Offenders Task Force for holding this offender accountable,” Bizzell said. “Following his state trial for shooting at a victim, Taylor’s 137-month federal sentence adds crucial accountability. Cooperation between state and federal authorities remains one of our strongest tools against violent crime, ensuring those who endanger our community are taken off the streets.”

Johnston County District Attorney Jason Waller also pointed to the role of the Dangerous Offenders Task Force and cooperation with federal authorities.

“This case demonstrates the Johnston County District Attorney’s Office’s commitment, through our Dangerous Offenders Task Force, to pursuing every appropriate avenue to protect the public. Following a Johnston County trial, Taylor received a lengthy active prison sentence for shooting at an innocent victim, and his federal firearms conviction represents an additional measure of accountability,” Waller said. “Cooperation between state and federal authorities is an important tool in addressing violent crime. Our priority is keeping those who pose the greatest threat off our streets and making our communities safer for all.”

The federal case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office.