Saturday's Internet Edition, May 17, 2008.
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Wesley Jason Murray, 25, of 705 Fuller Mill Road, the driver of the mini-van who fled from the scene but later was apprehended, was arrested after police received a tip from a citizen in the area. Murray was charged with felony possession of stolen property, driving while impaired, driving while license revoked, speeding 15 miles per hour more than the posted limit, felony speeding while attempting to elude arrest, careless and reckless driving, failure to stop for blue light and siren, driving left of center, failure to stop for duly erected stop sign and felony hit and run.
In addition to the charges made by Thomasville police, the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office charged Murray with felony larceny of a motor vehicle. North Carolina State Highway Patrol charged Murray with a misdemeanor hit and run, failure to reduce speed to avoid a collision and driving while license revoked resulting from a collision, which occurred in Davidson County just prior to the pursuit in Thomasville.
Murray was placed in Davidson County Jail under a $15,000 secured bond.
Danny Godbolt, 23, of Skye Trail, the passenger in the mini-van was arrested and charged with possession of stolen goods. He was placed in Davidson County Jail under a $1,500 secured bond.
According to a press release from Thomasville police, at approximately 7:35 p.m. officers were told to be on the lookout for a mini-van, which had been reported stolen from a location in Davidson County. The same van had been involved in a hit and run.
Officer Tony Burgess observed the mini-van at the intersection of Martin Luther King Drive and Lexington Avenue and attempted to stop the vehicle. The driver of the mini-van refused to stop the vehicle and continued east on Lexington Avenue toward Main Street.
Sgt. Jay Baity, of Thomasville police’s Vice/narcotics unit, saw the mini-van heading towards Martin Luther King. He then radioed to Burgess and the chase was on.
“Burgess just happened to be sitting there at the intersection,” Baity said. “When I told him it was going to Lexington Avenue that is when Burgess took over.”
Capt. Tim Driggers confirmed Burgess turned on his blue lights and siren, but the driver would not stop.
Making a left turn at a high rate of speed, Thomasville police say, the driver made his way from West Main Street onto Church Street. The pursuit ended on Church Street near Arlington Street when the mini-van ran off the roadway to the right and struck a tree.
Burgess, meanwhile, was attempting to stop his vehicle when he ran off the roadway to the right and traveled between two trees before coming to a stop with the front end of the patrol car in a deep ditch. The driver of the mini-van fled the scene.
Godbolt received minor injuries in the second collision, and was treated at the scene by Davidson County EMS. Murray was taken to Thomasville Medical Center where he was treated and released for minor injuries. Burgess was not injured.
Staff Writer Darrick Ignasiak can be reached at 472-9500, ext. 231, or ignasiak@tvilletimes.com.