Durham Police Chase Injures 5, Nets 2 Arrests

Durham, N.C. — An eight-minute-long police chase on Saturday night ended in a crash, two arrests and five injuries, officers said.

Police spotted a 1989 cream-colored Nissan Maxima connected to an armed robbery and aggravated assault that occurred within the past two weeks. Officers said they gave pursuit when the driver, Benjamin Wayne White Jr., 24, refused to stop.

The Maxima went through the intersection of Horton and Guess roads and struck a 2004 Toyota Avalon at 7:49 p.m.

Police said the chase lasted about eight minutes.

The occupants of the Avalon, a 63-year-old husband and 62-year-old wife, suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were taken to Duke University Hospital.

White; Rory Arrington Jr., 23; and a female occupant of the Maxima were also taken to Duke with non-life-threatening injuries.

White was charged with two counts of felony fleeing to elude, two counts of driving with a revoked license, two counts of careless and reckless driving and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Arrington faces one charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. No charges have been filed against the woman who was in the Maxima.

Police said additional charges may be pending.

Arrington served 20 months on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury stemming from an incident in Durham County on Dec. 6, 2002, according to state Department of Corrections records.

Both White and Arrington have a record of convictions on charges related to drugs and stolen good charges going back to 2001 in Durham County.

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For more on the possible changes to the warrant less searches of cars see the news report today on the Arizona supreme court decision here.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0225az-carsearch25-on.html

mtr
February 25, 2008 6:16 p.m.

Well we can't be talking illegal ways such as just opening it up and start rifling through the trunk. You also can't be talking DUI/DWI stops cause that is only for public safety of stopping drunk drivers, so that would take an arrest again. You can't be talking drug sniffing dogs, because that would be illegal to stop a car for that. I'm done guessing.

mtr
February 25, 2008 3:15 p.m.

"I did look and you are right there is no warrant needed (in some states you must prove that no time was possible to get a warrant) if like I said before there is an illegal item in plain view or you have been arrested then the officer is acting on probable cause."

Oh there's more ways than that to search a car!! I know two ways (not including incident to arrest and consent)that don't even require probable cause. I'll keep you wondering though.

Common Sense Man
February 25, 2008 3:00 p.m.

"In fact always them no that you do not consent to being searched in your home car or on the street. that way after your rights were trampled on they can't say you gave permission."

Hehehe, too funny!! If someone says no then so be it. Let them go and get them another time. They have to be lucky every single day, I only have to be lucky once. No need to "trample on rights."

Ah, but if only everyone said no, but they don't! The funniest is when someone gives you consent and when you start searching they start mouthing off, asking where the warrant is and why you're searching their car. Priceless!

Common Sense Man
February 25, 2008 2:58 p.m.

Cookie Me Elmo I do believe you are a cop.

I did look and you are right there is no warrant needed (in some states you must prove that no time was possible to get a warrant) if like I said before there is an illegal item in plain view or you have been arrested then the officer is acting on probable cause.

He can not search your vehicle in a parking lot, on the road, in your yard, in a tree or up your rear if there is no probable cause though. Like I said he stops you for a ticket type offense and wants to search your car tell him NO you do not consent. In fact always them no that you do not consent to being searched in your home car or on the street. that way after your rights were trampled on they can't say you gave permission.

mtr
February 25, 2008 2:51 p.m.