HICKORY, N.C. — The child passenger of a fatal Hickory crash has succumbed to his injuries one day after a crash involving police also killed the female driver of a minivan.
Cynthia Nicole Lail, 38, of Hickory, was killed Saturday when a Hickory police officer drove into her minivan during a chase on Friday, Sept. 8, according to a statement released by the Hickory Police Department on Saturday. The child passenger, identified has her son, 12-year-old Michael Lail, died from injuries on Sunday, Sept. 10.
The department said the officer was attempting to chase a fleeing motorcycle on Highway 70 SW when the deadly collision occurred.
The officer, identified by N.C. Highway Patrol as Atia Shamseldin, 24, had tried to pull the motorcycle over at around 10:45 p.m. for careless and reckless driving and not displaying a license plate. According to a spokesperson for HPD, the motorcycle refused to stop, and the officer turned on his siren and blue lights, leading to a chase.
REVIEW DEPARTMENT POLICY: Two people died in a Hickory police chase. Here is the department's chase policy
As the motorcycle and the officer reached the intersection of Highway 70 SW and 13th Street, Lail drove her minivan into the intersection and was struck by the officer's car.
Lail was pronounced dead at the scene and her child was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. He succumbed to his injuries on Sunday.
The officer and the officer's front-seat passenger, a Hickory Police Department applicant, were treated for minor injuries.
The motorcycle involved in the chase never stopped and, on Sept. 11, a multiagency search remained underway for the driver.
Sgt. Brad Clark joins those with the N.C. Highway Patrol investigating the crash, recreating the scene with drones and even similar vehicles.
“We’re out here checking for extra witnesses that may not have been on the scene that night that did see it, video footage from the local businesses and restaurants close by, and just making sure we have all of our pieces together," Clark said. "Even as an officer we still have to, you know, under certain guidelines we have to follow. You know, making sure we’re not negligent in our duties.”
Vicky Caldwell lives in the area and feels the motorcyclist is to blame, pleading for the driver to turn themselves in.
"[Cynthia] didn’t get to have grandkids," Caldwell said. "[Michael] didn’t get to have a wife, kids himself and it’s all because of the driver that did wrong."
Christima Stumbo spoke to WCNC Charlotte on Monday also saying a lot of questions need answers. She said Cynthia's husband is her cousin and she's known her and Michael for years.
"Cynthia and Michael were absolutely one-of-a-kind," Stumbo said. "They would do anything for you and give you the shirt off their backs. I've known them both since they were little."
She said the entire family wants to understand why this happened and why the chase went on, in their perspective, for so long.
As the investigation continues, Clark said investigators are following all possible avenues to find the motorcyclist, but the vehicle's lack of license plate is complicating things.
The N.C. Highway Patrol and Hickory police are asking anyone with information about the motorcycle driver's identity to contact them.
The North Carolina State Highway Patrol took over the crash investigation following a request from the police department. The officer involved has been placed on administrative leave as the investigation continues.
The N.C. Highway Patrol's investigation into the crash could take several months, according to the agency.
Flashpoint is a weekly in-depth look at politics in Charlotte, North Carolina, South Carolina, and beyond with host Ben Thompson. Listen to the podcast weekly.
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