HICKORY, N.C. — The Hickory Police Department is investigating a multi-vehicle crash that killed one and injured four others on Wednesday night.
A Hickory police officer attempted to stop a stolen Honda Accord driving near 22nd Street Northeast in Hickory around 9:40 p.m., the department said. A pursuit followed after the driver failed to pull over and fled towards the intersection of Springs Road and McDonald Parkway.
The driver ran a red light at the intersection and collided with a white Jeep Wrangler with four people ranging in ages 15 to 17 inside, officers said.
The driver of the stolen Honda, identified as 30-year-old Bradley Michael Swink of Claremont, was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene, officers said.
All occupants of the Jeep were taken to the hospital with varying injuries, according to police. Three of the victims were released from the hospital as of Thursday morning, and the fourth remains in the hospital in stable condition.
The impact of the crash caused the Jeep to turn over on its right side and hit a third vehicle, police said. The driver of the third vehicle was not injured.
Officers later found that Swink was out on multiple bonds and had multiple outstanding felony warrants for his arrest, including assault with a deadly weapon, carrying a concealed weapon, larceny of motor vehicle, possession of methamphetamine, habitual larceny, driving while impaired and common law robbery.
The incident remains under investigation by the Hickory Police Department and North Carolina Highway Patrol.
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