Police Chases | Law enforcement actions in Central North Carolina draw attention to policies and pedestrian safety

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) – Holly Loftis was at her home on U.S. 501 in Person County Monday afternoon when she heard a mention of a nearby road on her scanner.

“I got to my front door and I saw (the vehicle) rolling by, the cop was following it, and then I heard a loud bang, like a bang. So I went outside and the truck was rolling and the car had fallen into the ditch,” Loftis said.

Person County Sheriff Jason Wilborn told ABC11 it started when a driver pulled out of a nearby convenience store and nearly caused an accident. A deputy in the area attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect drove off, leading to a chase that lasted less than two miles, according to Wilborn. The suspect’s vehicle collided with a pedestrian’s vehicle just before the Boston Road intersection, ejecting the suspect from the vehicle. As of Monday evening, authorities have not released the names of the suspect or pedestrian involved in the accident, though both were taken to a hospital.

The crash came just one day after a fatal chase in Wake County in which an 18-year-old driver was reportedly traveling 115 mph in a 70 mph zone on I-540 near Louisburg Road. Authorities said he ignored stop signs and swerved into oncoming traffic to elude officers. After running a red light, he collided with another vehicle traveling eastbound on Zebulon Road near Louisburg Road and succumbed to his injuries. The other driver was taken to WakeMed with injuries described as non-life-threatening.

“I can tell you that given the ongoing pursuit, the ongoing violations – reckless driving, suspected drunk driving – and the ongoing danger to the public, the decision was made for officers to continue the pursuit,” said Lt. Mike Fleer.

These cases follow police chases in Lillington and Cumberland counties and are part of a pattern that has attracted attention. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 390 people have died in crashes related to police chases in the state between 1982 and 2020.

“There’s no doubt that police officers have an extremely difficult job. That’s why most policies say that these chases can only be initiated under extreme circumstances, like if someone has a gun and is shooting people, (a suspect) has robbed a bank or something like that. What happens is that those rules are disregarded or they engage in chases where they get approval from their department even though there’s no danger to the public,” said Gary Mauney, partner at Mauney PLLC.

While pedestrians injured in such chases can assert civil claims for damages, according to Mauney, they are faced with difficult circumstances.

“Our appellate courts have essentially interpreted the gross negligence principle as if it were a kind of free pass for police officers who do not even follow their own policies.

Mauney pointed to other states that have changed their standards for gross negligence to make it easier for victims to move forward with their cases.

“Cities and towns need to start taking responsibility when their officials don’t follow their own policies,” he said. “Those cities that can waive immunity in the ways permitted by the legislature need to do that, and then they need to do it sensibly.”