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Wilson Police Says It Stopped Pursuit Of Car Before It Crashed

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WILSON, N.C. — A Wilson man remains in critical condition Wednesday after a driver running from the police crashed into his truck, authorities said.

Jim Bowie was at the intersection of Highway 301 and Pender Street on Tuesday when the crash happened.

"When we first saw it, we didn't know it was Jim's truck," said Bowie's neighbor, Peggy Benton. "Looking at it good, you did know it was Jim's truck."

Like a lot of people, she wonders what led to this.

It all started here when police pulled over a Honda Accord for running a stop sign. When the police officer approached the car, the Accord took off, police said.

The Wilson Police Department told WRAL that the officer followed the car six blocks and never exceeded 35 mph before a dispatcher told him to end it. A quarter of a mile later, the car lost control.

Lt. Mark Sullivan of the Wilson Police Department said nothing could have been done under the department's policies and procedures to prevent the crash.

"We discontinued (the chase) when we felt it was unsafe," said Sullivan. "What people do when we turn off the blue lights falls on them."

In the Accord were 27-year-old Laronge Whitley, of Gainesville, Fla., and 22-year-old Jabbary Artis, of Wilson.

Police say Artis is wanted on outstanding warrants for assault and for not appearing in court on drug charges.

Wilson authorities are hoping to figure out who was driving and how fast the car was going.

Bowie's neighbor just hopes her friend will recover.

"It's a bad situation, Benton said. "He was just in the wrong place.

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