Browse
Log in / Register
Share
A chaotic series of events unfolded on Raleigh roads Thursday morning, May 23, 2024, as a driver in a stolen SUV initiated a chain-reaction crash, then carjacked a witness's vehicle before causing a second, separate collision near downtown. The North Carolina State Highway Patrol (SHP) is investigating the impaired driver, who was hospitalized with minor injuries and now faces a slew of potential felony charges.
The incident began during the morning commute at the intersection of Ten-Ten Road and Old Stage Road. According to SHP troopers, the driver of a stolen black SUV ran a red light, resulting in a collision with a silver Lexus sedan. The force of the impact sent the stolen vehicle careening off the roadway and into a treeline. WRAL crews arriving at the scene by 8 a.m. documented the aftermath: the Lexus sat in the road with significant rear-end damage, while the SUV was mangled on the shoulder.
In a shocking turn, the saga did not end with the initial wreck. As another motorist, acting as a Good Samaritan, stopped to check on the situation, the suspect from the stolen SUV seized the opportunity. Troopers report the individual jumped into the bystander's vehicle—a black pickup truck—and fled the scene, leaving the first crash site behind. This act transformed a traffic incident into a serious felony carjacking.
The suspect's flight was short-lived. SHP officials state the man subsequently crashed the stolen pickup truck on Morgan Street, close to downtown Raleigh. This second collision involved at least two other vehicles. Aerial footage from Sky 5 revealed the dramatic scene: the black truck lay flipped on its side across a sidewalk, while the two other cars involved sustained massive front-end damage, highlighting the violence of the impact.
Authorities confirmed the suspect was transported to a local hospital with what were described as minor injuries. A key element of the investigation, according to the SHP, is determining if the driver was impaired at the time of the incidents. Multiple agencies, including the Wake County Sheriff's Office, responded to the scenes, with deputies visible from Sky 5 at the initial Ten-Ten Road crash location.
Exclusive Perspective: Potential Charges Facing the Suspect While formal charges are pending the ongoing investigation, legal experts suggest the suspect could be looking at a lengthy list of felony counts. Based on the SHP's account of events, potential charges may include felony hit and run, felony larceny of a motor vehicle (for the initial SUV), carjacking, assault with a deadly weapon (the vehicle), and multiple counts of causing serious injury by vehicle, depending on the condition of other victims. A DWI charge is also likely if impairment is confirmed. The decision to carjack a second vehicle significantly escalates the severity of the crimes.
The full extent of injuries to others involved has not been fully released, and WRAL News is actively working to learn more about the victims' conditions. The investigation remains open as troopers piece together the exact sequence of events and gather evidence from both crash sites. The swift transition from a traffic violation to a violent carjacking underscores the unpredictable and dangerous nature of such incidents for all road users.
