DURHAM, NC – Durham Police are currently investigating a fatal crash that took place early Thursday morning on South Miami Blvd. A passerby reported the incident at approximately 4:40 a.m., leading to the discovery of a body, believed to be the driver, ejected from the SUV involved in the crash. The deceased person was later identified as a 16-year-old boy from Raleigh.
Preliminary investigations have revealed the estranged vehicle to be connected to an earlier carjacking incident in Morrisville. Morrisville officers had initiated a pursuit of the stolen BMW SUV after spotting it on Chapel Hill Road but lost visual contact near Chapel Hill Road and Page Road. At this time, investigators are yet to confirm if the deceased teenager was also involved in the carjacking event.
Morrisville Police Chief Pete Acosta explains the complexity of the current investigation: “At this point, it’s really difficult for us to know who was in the car when it was, when the officers were pursuing was in the middle of the investigation.”
The carjacking incident occurred just before 2:30 a.m. at an apartment complex in the 1100 block of W. Shore Court. Here, four masked suspects reportedly assaulted the vehicle owner and then took off with the BMW.
According to Acosta, the victim was approached in the parking lot, forcibly removed from the vehicle, and then hit with a firearm before the assailants sped away. The victim suffered from minor injuries and is expected to recover fully.
An anonymous resident of the apartment complex reported suspicious activity in the area, including break-ins of parked vehicles. As the investigation unfolds, authorities have kept South Miami Boulevard between Emperor Boulevard and Surles Court temporarily closed.
Individuals with valuable information about the scenario are advised to contact Capt. Brad Shirley of the Morrisville Police Department.