Wanted man in more hot water after Fayetteville chase, crash
FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina (WTVD) -- A Douglas Byrd High School student wanted for failure to appear on a previous charge is in more legal hot water Tuesday after he allegedly led law enforcement officers on a chase on Cumberland Road at Ireland Drive.
Brandon Ponder, 18, who was wanted on for failure to appear on a breaking and entering charge from Fayetteville Police, made a run for it after he was spotted by a deputy.
The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office reported that a man matching Ponder's description was seen taking a white Ford pickup from the 200 block of Rodie Avenue. Deputies saw the vehicle on Ireland Drive and attempted to stop it, but the driver accelerated toward Cumberland Road running other motorists off the road.
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Deputies said the driver lost control of the truck and struck a Subaru Forester, pushing it into a Honda CRV before hitting a Sheriff's Office patrol car and school bus.
"He was running people off the road and driving in a careless manner," said Sgt. Sean Swain of the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office. "It's just something that absolutely didn't need to be done, for a simple failure to appear charge for a break in."
No one was seriously injured in the incident.
Deputies removed Ponder from behind the wheel of the stolen truck and took him into custody.
Ponder will be taken to the Cumberland County Jail for the original failure to appear B&E charge from FPD and now faces new charges for felony larceny of motor vehicle, and felony speeding to elude.
Bail has not been set. Ponder's first appearance in court for the new charges will be at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday.
