PINEVILLE. N.C. — Police are investigating after an officer fired shots at a driver who ended up crashing and flipping their car in Pineville Sunday morning.
[ [PHOTOS: Police presence at crash scene in Pineville] ]
The driver, who police believe was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, didn’t stop during an attempted traffic stop and tried to steer his vehicle toward other officers helping with the stop, police said.
Authorities said one officer fired his gun at the driver as he drove toward the officer.
Police said the driver was not struck by gunfire, but later crashed the car on Centrum Parkway off Pineville-Matthews Road.
The driver and the police officer have not been identified.
Investigators said the attempted traffic stop for suspected DWI started on Main Street near the Pineville Police Department just before 5 a.m., but the driver didn’t stop, and instead tried to steer into officers.
The car was smashed and tied up in crime tape, and parts Pineville-Matthews Road were closed while crews investigated.
The road has since been reopened.
People who saw the crime scene were shocked.
“Normally car accidents don’t have the yellow tape,” said Michael Tischler, who had been shopping nearby. “Knew something terrible happened because nobody should be going that fast in this area.”
Ray Phillips, a Pineville resident, said he heard the gunshots and commotion from his front door.
“I heard like four or five shots go off at one time,” Phillips said. “It didn't ring. It was a loud pop, pop, pop, pop.”
The suspect was taken to Carolinas Medical Center to be treated for injuries from the crash, police said.
Authorities said the suspect was driving on a revoked driver’s license out of South Carolina and appears to have been intoxicated, based on information from witnesses.
The name of the suspect hasn’t been released due to pending criminal charges. Pineville police said the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations is assisting with the case.
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