KINSTON, N.C. (WITN) – Police say a passenger in a stolen car that crashed has died and the driver is now charged with murder after he blew through a red light, hitting another vehicle and shutting down the busy intersection.
Kinston Police Chief Keith Goyette says the crash happened around 1:40 p.m. on North Queen Street at the Highland Avenue intersection.
The chief says his officers were not chasing the stolen car but were trying to catch up to it when the crash happened.
The passenger in the car, 29-year-old Samaad Williams of Willow Spring was killed. The driver, 25-year-old Isaiah Johnson of Smithfield, was airlifted to ECU Health Medical Center in Greenville, where he remains in stable condition.
The driver of the vehicle that was hit was treated and released from UNC Lenoir.
At this time, Johnson is being charged with murder and possession of a stolen vehicle.
Chief Goyette said the car was going west on Highland when it went through the intersection at a high rate of speed and collided with a Jeep SUV that was heading north on Queen Street.