A pursuit with a suspected impaired driver ended with a crash in front of Selma Elementary School Friday afternoon.
Selma Police said they received a report of a possible impaired driver traveling on Highway 301 north bound near Highway 39. An officer located the vehicle just as it was turning around and heading southbound on Highway 301 back into Selma. While making the u-turn, the driver nearly struck the police car head on. The policeman turned on his blue light and siren but the driver failed to pull over.
The driver, traveling at speeds between 15 mph and 25 mph, continued southbound on Highway 301 into Selma while traveling in both the north and southbound lanes. He nearly struck several drivers.
As the chase neared Selma Elementary School, police made the decision to end the low-speed pursuit before an innocent driver or pedestrian could be hurt. An officer got in front of the suspect vehicle and stopped. The suspect then struck the back of the patrol car but refused to exit his car.
Police had to remove the driver. Officers said the suspect, whose identity was not immediately released, was armed with a gun but did not point it at police.
Selma Police Captain R.L. Daniels said the suspect was transported to Johnston Medical Center in Smithfield for evaluation. The suspect did not sustain any apparent injuries in the accident but police requested the man be evaluated because of possible impairment due to narcotics and not alcohol.
Highway 301 in Selma was briefly shutdown following the incident. The roadway has now reopened.
