When someone is willing to steal a car and lead police on a high-speed chase, it usually doesn’t end well, and sometimes the circumstances are hard to believe. We’ve seen everything from a Google Street View car going over 100 mph before crashing into a creek to a U-Haul truck leading police on a 53-mile chase. The latest wacky incident saw a man start a high-speed chase in a stolen Corvette before wrecking it and thinking he could get away by hiding in a swamp.
Road & Track reports that the man, identified as 24-year-old Zyrell Webb, stole the C7 Corvette in Virginia and made his way to Scotland Neck, North Carolina, where he was spotted speeding by the local police department. When authorities attempted to stop Webb for speeding, he fled. A statement on Facebook by Scotland Neck Police say Webb reached speeds of over 100 mph during the chase.
Sgt. Lawrence noticed the speeding vehicle and attempted a traffic stop, unaware that it was stolen. Webb accelerated and evaded capture, reaching speeds exceeding 100 mph. Fortunately, the chase occurred during a period of light to no traffic. The pursuit took Sgt. Lawrence through Princeville, where Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Tarboro Police Department officers were positioned.
The chase came to an end when Webb hit a guardrail and wrecked the Corvette. He probably thought he could get home free when he dove into a nearby swamp to hide along with his female passenger. Twenty-first century technology was them implemented: Police were able to find Webb by using a heat-seeking drone to search the area.
Authorities say the passenger was rescued from the swamp, but Webb once again attempted to flee and was found by the drone. Both Webb and his passenger were taken to a local hospital and treated for their minor injuries.
There’s no mention of charges for his passenger, but Webb is certainly going away for a while. Police say he already had a long rap sheet, and now faces a litany of charges: Felony Fleeing to Elude Arrest, Felony Hit and Run, Felony Possession of a Stolen Vehicle, Resisting a Public Officer, Leaving the Scene of an Accident, Fictitious Tags, and Speeding. Ouch.
