One person was killed and two people have been hospitalized after a high-speed chase involving a man charged with murder ended in a crash late Saturday night in Spring Lake.
At 11:37 p.m., a 2012 Acura was traveling 110 mph south on N.C. Highway 87 in Harnett County.
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The car continued on N.C. 87, with the driver failing to stop for State Highway Patrol (SHP) troopers. When the driver made it to Bragg Boulevard in Spring Lake, the car drove around traffic that was stopped at a red light and crashed into a 2012 Honda Accord that was turning onto McKenzie Road.
The driver of the Honda, Ismael Apolinar-Heredia was taken to Cape Fear Valley Hospital with serious injuries. His passenger, Delfina Sanchez-Eusebio, died in the crash.
The driver of the Acura that police were chasing, 25-year-old Darren Lyndell Obatala Powell, of Spring Lake, was taken to UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill in critical condition.
According to the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office, Powell and another man were charged with first-degree murder for the death of Barbara Adair, who was gunned down during what the sheriff's office called at the time a "child custody matter."
At the time of his arrest, Powell was given no bond.
The SHP said alcohol is suspected as a factor and charges are forthcoming. WRAL News is investigating how Powell was out on bond and what the conditions of his release were.
Another dangerous chase at the same intersection
A chase with law enforcement ended in the exact same location back in May.
Two people, including a state trooper, were hurt after the high-speed chase ended in a four-vehicle crash.
Police chases in North Carolina have more than doubled in recent years, raising concerns about safety. In 2022, 24 people were killed in pursuits in North Carolina – half of whom were uninvolved bystanders.