A motorcyclist died in a collision with a pickup truck while trying to flee from Highway Patrol trooper Thursday night.
The chase began around 9:20pm on Highway 210 near I-40 outside of Benson.
A trooper on routine patrol was traveling west on Highway 210 and observed a motorcycle, operated by Camilo Gomez Apolinar Jr., 26, of Clayton Road, Angier traveling east on Highway 210 with no headlights on.
The trooper activated all his emergency equipment and attempted initiate a traffic stop. The operator of the motorcycle failed to heed to the blue lights and siren, turned onto North Pleasant Coats Road, made a u-turn, then traveled back to Highway 210, the Highway Patrol said.
Apolinar then traveled westbound on Highway 210 for about a half-mile. As he entered a curve, Apolinar crossed the centerline and collided head-on with a Toyota pickup truck driven by Sandra Miller of Carriage Creek Drive, Smithfield.
Apolinar was ejected upon impact. He was taken to Wake Medical Center where he later died.
Sandra Miller and a passenger in the truck, Edward Miller, were taken to Johnston Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.
Photos courtesy John Payne.
