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Teen killed in violent crash following police chase in north Charlotte

By Jenna Deery
By Jenna Deery

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Police were investigating after a driver was killed in a crash following a carjacking and police chase in north Charlotte Thursday morning.

The crash happened around 9:30 a.m. in front of the Wendy's on West Sugar Creek Road.

Police said they were chasing the car, which was stolen earlier Thursday morning during a carjacking that happened on Bradford Lakes Drive.

When officers spotted the stolen vehicle they tried to get the driver, Kahmal Williams Darby, 18, to stop but said he took off. Police said Darby started speeding once he turned on West Sugar Creek Road and eventually lost control, hit a light pole and flipped several times.

Darby was convicted of felony robbery the day before the deadly crash. He was given a suspended sentence and was released at 1:10 a.m. Thursday. About four hours later, the alleged carjacking happened.

(Press "PLAY" below to watch cellphone video from a witness on the scene)

A witness on the scene told Channel 9 that it appeared CMPD officers were in pursuit of the car before it tumbled three times and struck the Wendy's sign in front of the restaurant.

"It sounded like a bomb went off," said the witness, who did not want to be identified.

The witness said he rushed to help the driver, but he was already dead. His name has not been released.

Surveillance video from a nearby hotel caught the crash on camera. The video shows the speeding car crashing and nearly hitting two people who were walking down the entrance to the hotel.

(Press "PLAY" below to watch surveillance video of the crash)

Channel 9 reporter Joe Bruno spoke with the man who was carjacked, just two miles away from the crash scene.

He said Darby, who he didn't know, held a knife to his throat and stole his car. He told Channel 9 he was stunned and saddened to hear about the man's death, but that he was OK.

Sugar Creek Road was closed between Hidden Valley Road and Reagan Drive and officials expected the road to be closed for several hours.

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