Charlotte, NC : Teen killed in stolen car chase, crash on W Sugar Creek Road on Thursday, June 16, 2016
Charlotte, North Carolina
A teenager was killed Thursday when he crashed while allegedly running from police in a stolen vehicle. Police have identified the the teen as 18-year-old Kahmal Williams Darby.
The incident began around 5 a.m. on Bradford Lake Lane when officers responded to a robbery from person call. The victim said he was approached by a person with a knife who demanded his vehicle.
Police say the thief left the victim's home in his 2006 Volvo.
The carjacking victim said he is a very private person, and that he is OK after the ordeal. He said his faith in God is what kept him safe. His prayers go out to the family of the man who died.
Around 9:15 a.m., police located the stolen vehicle using license plate readers and a police helicopter. When officers tried to pull the vehicle over on N. Tryon Street, it took off toward W. Sugar Creek Road.
On W. Sugar Creek, the driver of the vehicle lost control, went off the right side of the road and hit a utility pole.
Witnesses said there were close calls. Motel surveillance video shows two people almost getting hit. Melissa Bunch said she was waiting at the bus stop.
"We had to jump out of the way. If not, we would have lost our lives today. The car hit that, it hit the telephone pole, then hit the Wendy's sign and flipped. I don't know how many times," Bunch said, "I just want to thank God that I'm alive."
Henry Johnson was across the street in the Bojangles' at the time of the crash.
"It was up in the air, then the car came down so the body came out and the police were right behind him after that," Johnson said.
The driver of the stolen vehicle, Darby, was pronounced dead at the scene. The roadway around the scene was closed for several hours after the crash.
Darby has a criminal record, according to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, and has been convicted of felony breaking and entering.
Source :
Police ID teen killed in stolen car chase, crash on W Sugar Creek Road