Staff report
The driver involved in a weekend chase that ended in a crash on Interstate 85 faces assault charges against a Salisbury Police Department detective.
Authorities had been pursuing four men from Lexington after connecting them to recent break-ins. The driver, identified as Wayne Timothy Strong, of Charlotte, swerved to hit Detective Todd Sides, who was putting “stop sticks” in the car’s path, Police Chief Mark Wilhelm said.
He’s being charged with assault with a deadly weapon ó in this case, the car.
Strong’s passengers were Otis Steffon Johnson, Jovante Latrez Nash and Darryl Eugene Mills, all of Charlotte.
The men, driving a rented Ford Taurus, caused a collision just south of China Grove. Authorities said speeds reached more than 100 mph during the chase.
The men face multiple breaking and entering charges, as well as larceny and speeding.