Officer Recovering; Suspect in Crash Still Sought

The Chadbourn Police officer hurt in a crash Wednesday is recovering, and the suspect is still at large.

CPD Officer Grady Corder was injured after colliding with another vehicle that had been clipped by the fleeing suspect, Chief Ken Elliot said.

Elliot said officers got a license plate reader (LPR) hit on a wanted person around 6:30 p.m. and located the vehicle in town. They initiated a traffic stop, and the driver fled, leading officers on a chase through Evergreen into Robeson County.

Near the N.C. 72 construction zone, where U.S. 74 narrows to one lane, Elliot said the suspect’s vehicle struck a pickup.

The driver of the truck hit his brakes trying to avoid colliding with the suspect vehicle, Elliot said, “our officer struck the rear end of the truck.”

The CPD officer and a person in another vehicle sustained injuries, and both are being treated. Elliot said bystander also sustained injuries.

The suspect did not stop after the crash, Elliot said, and is still at large. The vehicle he was driving has been recovered.

“Our prayers are going out to our officer, the other driver, and their families,” Elliot said.