Stolen vehicle leads to crash that kills one, murder charge issued

KINSTON, N.C. (WNCT) — Kinston police said one person was killed when a stolen vehicle crashed into another after a chase ensued on Wednesday.

Police responded around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday to a report of a stolen vehicle in the area of Old Snow Hill Road. Officers eventually found the vehicle parked in the U.S. Mini Mart parking lot. When officials approached the driver, he fled in the vehicle at a high rate of speed.

Officers initially lost sight of the vehicle and began searching in the direction it was traveling. A short time later, officers discovered the vehicle had crashed into a passing car at the intersection of North Queen Street and Highland Avenue. The officers arrived and immediately began providing medical attention to the people in both vehicles.

The driver and passenger of the stolen vehicle were transported to UNC Health Lenoir. The passenger, Samaad Williams, 29, of Willow Spring was pronounced dead. The driver, Isaiah Johnson, 25, of Smithfield, was then airlifted to ECU Health Center, where he remained in stable condition Wednesday evening. The driver of the other vehicle was treated and released from UNC Health Lenoir.

Johnson was being charged with murder and possession of a stolen motor vehicle.

If anyone has information about this incident, call the Kinston Police Department’s Tips Line at (252) 939-4020, Lenoir County Crime Stoppers at (252) 523-4444, or through the Tip411 App that is available on both Apple and Android devices.

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