A male passenger ejected from a vehicle during a police chase early Monday has died and the vehicle's alleged driver faces a murder charge and multiple other charges, according to a Wake Village Police Department press release.
A murder warrant was prepared and served on Deontrae Solomon, 19, according to Todd Aultman, Wake Village interim police chief. Bond has not been set on the murder charge.
The vehicle's passenger De'andre Jackson, 20, died from the injuries sustained in the crash, Aultman stated. Jackson's body has been sent to Dallas for autopsy.
Solomon also faces two counts of burglary of a vehicle, two counts of theft of a firearm, theft over $2,500 and under $30,000, felon in possession of a firearm and evading arrest or detention with a vehicle. Bond on these charges is $80,000, according to Aultman.
The initial charge Solomon faced of evading arrest in a vehicle causing serious bodily injury has been dropped, according to Aultman.
Solomon and Jackson were hospitalized early Monday after they were injured in the vehicle crash while allegedly evading police during a pursuit.
About 2:30 a.m. Monday, Wake Village Patrol Officer Jeremy Johnson was patrolling the north side of Wake Village to deter car burglars when he located a suspicious vehicle. Johnson observed the alleged driver of the suspicious vehicle, Solomon, make a traffic violation leading Johnson to attempt to make a traffic stop. The driver failed to yield to Johnson.
Johnson pursued the vehicle into Nash and on to eastbound Interstate 30. The vehicle exited onto Mall Drive and while exiting onto Richmond Road, Solomon apparently lost control of the vehicle, causing it to roll multiple times. He allegedly fled from the crash and was pursued on foot by Johnson across east and westbound lanes of I-30 until Johnson was able to take the him into custody without further incident. Backup units arrived on scene and located Jackson, who had been ejected from the vehicle and had been injured.
Two pistols and stolen property were located in and around the wrecked vehicle.