SPRING LAKE, N.C. – The North Carolina State Highway Patrol reported that a car led state troopers on a high-speed chase throughout various counties before colliding in Cumberland County late Saturday night. One person was killed.
The accident happened near the intersection of North Bragg Boulevard and McKenzie Road in Spring Lake.
At 11:37 p.m., Highway Patrol troopers observed and recorded a vehicle traveling at 110 mph south on N.C. 87 in Harnett County. The trooper attempted a traffic stop, but the driver of the 2012 Acura continued driving at high speeds, according to officials.
As the pursuit approached Spring Lake on Bragg Boulevard, the suspect car collided with a 2012 Honda Accord turning left into McKenzie Road, according to state police.
The driver of the Honda was brought to Cape Fear Valley Hospital with critical injuries and has yet to be formally identified, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. The passenger in the Honda perished as a result of the incident.
The passenger’s identity will not be published until the family has been notified.
On Sunday, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol identified the Acura’s driver as 25-year-old Spring Lake resident Darren Lyndell Obatala Powell. He was rushed to UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill and is currently in critical condition, according to officials.
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According to state troopers, alcohol is thought to have played a role in the crash, and charges will be filed.