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High-speed chases are dangerous for the agencies that pursue suspects and the drivers in their path.
Those in harm’s way during a chase-and-crash in Knightdale on Wednesday know that feeling.
Debra Stubblefield was driving the sedan that the driver crashed into at the intersection of Knightdale Boulevard and Hinton Oaks Boulevard. She was not injured in the crash.
“All of a sudden, this car came out of nowhere and hit
us,” said Stubblefield, who was not hurt. “It spun me up on the curb,
and then I saw him go across and spin around. Next thing I knew, cops were
chasing him.”
Mingo was said to be driving at speeds of over 100 mph at
times while on Interstate 87. The chase started on Spectrum Drive, got onto the interstate, then through the heart of Knightdale on Business 64. Sky 5 was first on scene, covering the bulk of the roughly 10-minute pursuit.
“I was just scared,” said Teresa Croom, who lives nearby. “I didn’t know what was going on.”
Christian Rojas, who says he comes to Widewaters Commons shopping center often, said he had no idea about the chase and crash, but was shocked to see video of the collision.
A 2021 5 On Your Side report showed that 13 civilians died as a result of pursuits by the North Carolina State Highway Patrol over a three-year period.
“It’s more dangerous than anything,” Rojas said. “You are trying to follow somebody, but at the same time, you don’t know what could happen with anybody else.”
WRAL News was first on the scene when Sky 5 captured the moment Anthony Mingo jumped out of his SUV on Knightdale Boulevard and ran into a restaurant in a shopping center.
Why chase?
Tony Godwin with the Wake County Sheriff’s Office explained the agency’s policies on pursuits and the on-the-fly thinking they have to execute before starting a chase.
“The policy allows for pursuits,” said Godwin. “It’s a multi-prong decision,” he said.
Godwin said deputies consider the severity of the suspected crime,
weather and traffic conditions, time of day and familiarity with the area.
Godwin says they were keeping an eye out for Mingo’s vehicle on Wednesday.
He said Raleigh police had provided his description because they believed he robbed a PNC Bank on Falls of Neuse Road. Mingo faces a robbery charge for that incident.
“There was a concern, if we don’t get him into custody, there was
the potential for additional violent crimes out in the community,” he said.
After a chase, Godwin said the office analyzes it to
determine if appropriate action was taken and whether it can be improved in the
future.
More charges expected
After the crash on Wednesday, deputies said Mingo harmed himself, but would not elaborate.
As of Thursday afternoon, Mingo is in the hospital in critical condition. Godwin said the sheriff’s office is waiting for Mingo to recover a bit before officially pressing charges.
“Obviously, we know what he’s going to be charged with, but we just got to wait until he’s in a proper condition to do that,” Godwin explained.
Because Mingo crashed into multiple cars during the pursuit, Godwin said city police departments can press their own charges.
Knightdale Police Chief Lawrence Capps confirmed with WRAL that his department plans to bring reckless driving and hit-and-run charges against Mingo.
A deputy who responded had minor injuries.
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