Wake County deputies seek driver after chase, crash, car theft

A deputy tried to stop a speeding car on Poole Road near Barwell Road, but the driver refused to pull over and the encounter quickly turned into a public-safety scare for southeast Raleigh residents. The chase began about 10:30 a.m. Sunday, May 24, and ended about a mile away on Misty River Drive after the suspect crashed into an uninvolved vehicle.

Deputies said the wreck did not end the flight. Instead, the driver stole another uninvolved car and escaped again, leaving behind a trail that moved from a busy stretch of Poole Road into nearby neighborhood streets. The later-stolen vehicle has since been recovered, but the suspect remained at large Monday as deputies continued to search for him.

No serious injuries were reported, a fortunate outcome given how many people and vehicles were caught up in the sequence: a speeding stop, a pursuit, a collision with a driver who was not part of the chase, and a second theft during the escape. The incident unfolded on a corridor that cuts through southeast Raleigh and Wake County, where traffic, parking lots and neighborhood streets can fill up quickly on a weekend ahead of Memorial Day.

The Wake County Sheriff’s Office said charges are pending. CBS 17 reported the suspect was described as a Black male, about 5 feet 7 inches tall and 260 pounds, with brown eyes and dreadlocks or braided hair. He was last seen wearing a white shirt, black pants, no shoes and black socks. Deputies asked anyone with information to call 911.

Because the sheriff’s office handles the county’s unincorporated areas, the pursuit and the later theft fell under its jurisdiction in the southeast Raleigh/Wake County area. Deputies have not said how the suspect got away after the crash or whether the owners of the two stolen vehicles have been connected with recovery help, leaving those questions open as the search continues.