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Police: Outstanding warrant may have prompted fatal Pinehurst chase

Police said Monday that an outstanding arrest warrant against a a Carthage man might have prompted him to flee from police late Friday, leading to a crash that killed two people.

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PINEHURST, N.C. — Police said Monday that an outstanding arrest warrant against a a Carthage man might have prompted him to flee from police late Friday, leading to a crash that killed two people.

A vehicle ran a four-way stop sign at the intersection of McKenzie and Rassie Wicker roads, and a Pinehurst police officer pulled the vehicle over. Police said the driver sped off as the officer got out of his patrol car and approached.

"At some point in time, the vehicle left the side of the roadway on the left-hand side, struck a mailbox, came back on the roadway," Pinehurst Deputy Police Chief Floyd Thomas said. "The officer was catching up to it, but he slowed down because he realized this was a curvy road. He went around the curve and saw headlights facing the wrong direction and observed the car resting up against the up against a tree."

Police said the vehicle was traveling at 90 mph in a 45-mph zone before the crash on Juniper Lake Road, near U.S. Highway 15/501.

Passengers Lashonda Belk, 29, of Carthage, and Gregory Harris, 28, of Aberdeen, were killed in the crash. Driver Patrick McKinney remained in serious condition Monday at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill.

McKinney was wanted on a violation of a restraining order, police said.

The State Highway Patrol is investigating the chase and crash. Any charges against McKinney would be filed upon his release from the hospital, authorities said.

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