Man arrested after leading police on chase on I-40 and barricading himself in Pittsboro home

PITTSBORO, NC – A chase with the State Highway Patrol ended with a barricaded suspect Saturday night.

At approximately 10:54 p.m., officers began pursuing a vehicle on I-87 near I-440 and then followed the driver west on I-40 until he reached exit 273.

A PIT (Precision Immobilization Technique) maneuver was attempted, but the vehicle could not be brought to a stop.

Officers lost sight of the suspect’s vehicle, but the suspect, identified as Chad Vernon Clark, 47, of Pittsboro, was later spotted driving toward his residence on Cornwallis Street.

He ran into his house, but the officers could not persuade him to leave.

The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office and Pittsboro Police Department arrived on the scene and Clark was taken into custody around 5 a.m., approximately 6 hours after the initial chase.

Clark was taken to UNC-Chapel Hill for evaluation for what officials described as an “impairment condition.” He has since been released from the hospital and taken to the Wake County Detention Center.

He is initially charged with the following charges, with further charges expected:

• Aggravated flight to avoid arrest

• Speeding

• Reckless driving

• Driving despite having a revoked driving license

• Failure to heed lights or sirens

No one was injured during the pursuit or the arrest.