Cops catch driver
By Jack Stephens
Published in News on March 31, 2004 2:08 PM
A Mount Olive man wrecked his car into a Goldsboro police car Tuesday night. And in the ensuing chase he hit three more cars, injuring two people, according to police reports.
The driver, Demarcus Martell Davis, 18, of Fleer Street, started running after his last wreck and was soon captured by police.
Police believe that Davis had been trying to escape from gunfire from another vehicle.
Davis was charged with two felony offenses, hit and run resulting in personal injury and fleeing to elude arrest. He also was charged with two misdemeanor traffic offenses, stop-sign and stoplight violations. He was placed in the Wayne County Jail in lieu of a $5,000 secured bond.
Police say the collisions happened like this:
Davis was driving eastbound on Simmons Street at 5:55 p.m. and did not stop for a stop sign at Lionel Street. The car Davis was driving collided with a police car driven by Officer Claude Jackson.
Davis sped away from the wreck and turned onto Herman Street. He drove his Buick north into the center turn lane to get around slower traffic and ran through a stoplight at Royall Avenue. He struck a car head-on that was making a left turn. It was driven by Christopher Eugene Bailey, 26, of Cashwell Drive.
The impact pushed Bailey's car into a car that was going west through the intersection on Royall Avenue. That car was driven by Tommy Shelton Mitchell, 62, of Old Smithfield Road, Princeton.
After the first wreck, the Davis continued through the intersection and struck an oncoming car that was driven by Deborah Ann Pope, 38, of Bullhead Road, Pikeville.
Bailey and Ms. Pope were treated at Wayne Memorial Hospital and released.
Damage was estimated at $500 to the 2000 Ford police cruiser and $2,500 to Davis' car, which was registered to Clara Jean Reed of Mount Olive. Davis' car was demolished.
Damage was estimated at $3,000 to Bailey's car, $1,000 to Mitchell's auto and $800 to Ms. Pope's car.
Goldsboro firefighters responded and put out a fire caused by the wreck.
Davis was scheduled to have his first court appearance today.