|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|||||||||
|
Local |
|||||||||
|
Fatal crash ends chase Vale resident was 1999 honor graduate of WLHS By COURTNEY MARTIN, LTN Staff Writer Jan. 18, 2002 - HICKORY — A 20-year-old Vale man died in a car wreck resulting from a high speed police chase Wednesday. Benjamin “Benji” Ray Lanier, of 6051 Fairview School Road, was driving his 2001 Firebird Trans Am south on U.S. 321 in Caldwell County around 3:40 a.m. when Granite Falls Police Officer K.T. Anderson clocked the Firebird at 112 mph in a 55 mph zone, according to a press release from the Granite Falls Police Department. Anderson then told communications that he was attempting to overtake vehicle. Another Granite Falls Police Officer, J. Adams, sitting at the intersection of U.S. 321 and U.S 321A, watched the car pass by at a high rate of speed. He joined in the chase and activated his blue lights and siren. The Hickory Police Department was warned that the speeding car was approaching their city. The officers observed the Firebird pass several slower vehicles on its trek south on U.S. 321. “When the two Granite Falls Patrol Cars approached the intersection at Ham’s Restaurant on U.S. 321, they slowed to disengage the pursuit,” said the press release. The officer then saw where the Firebird had crashed into a concrete bridge support. A City of Hickory Police Officer arrived at the scene at the same time as the Granite Falls units. EMS was called to the wreck and Lanier was pronounced dead at the scene. Officer’s had to put out a fire that started at the front of the car. Lanier graduated as an honor student from West Lincoln High School in 1999. He was employed at MDI Distributors in Hickory.
|
|||||||||
|
© 2001 Lincoln Times-News |
|||||||||
|
||||||
|
