Woman crashes into crane, dies while fleeing police

Police in Hickory say a woman was killed when she crashed into a construction zone and hit a crane while she was running from police after fleeing a traffic stop.

According to the Hickory Police Department, the woman was initially stopped around 11:07 p.m. Wednesday night near the intersection of US 70 and 4th Street Drive SW.

Officers say they suspected her of driving while under the influence after they began talking with the woman. They asked her to turn off the engine, but that's when officers say she sped away from the stop.

Two Hickory officers reportedly followed her into the town of Long View where she drove through a highway construction zone with cones, barrels and message boards.

Officers say she knocked down several barrels before hitting a crane. She was killed in the wreck.

At the time of the crash, no workers were in the construction zone.