A North Carolina driver’s license checkpoint turned into a police pursuit after a man behind the wheel of a black BMW decided he wasn’t interested in showing deputies his license. Unfortunately for him, fleeing the checkpoint only attracted more attention, eventually leading authorities to discover that he was already wanted in Florida.
According to the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, the incident began when deputies assigned to the department’s SAFE Unit were conducting a driver’s license checkpoint in a residential neighborhood. A male driver approached in a black BMW, briefly stopped, and then suddenly accelerated away when deputies requested his driver’s license.
As the BMW sped away toward Brittany Drive, a deputy standing in the roadway raised his hands and ordered the driver to stop. The driver ignored those commands and continued accelerating, forcing the deputy to move out of the vehicle’s path to avoid being struck.
Deputies immediately began searching nearby neighborhoods for the BMW and eventually located the vehicle for a second attempted traffic stop. However, the driver once again refused to cooperate, reversing around a patrol vehicle before taking off and continuing the pursuit.
BMW Driver Escapes Two Traffic Stops Before Deputies Disable Vehicle
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The Sheriff’s Office said the initial encounter became dangerous when the driver accelerated toward a deputy who was attempting to stop him. Although the deputy managed to move out of the way, the driver’s actions would later contribute to several criminal charges.
After locating the BMW a second time, deputies attempted another traffic stop, but the driver reversed and maneuvered around their patrol vehicle. The Sheriff’s Office ultimately used one of its own vehicles to disable the BMW, preventing the driver from escaping again.
Once the pursuit ended, deputies identified the driver as Clayton Bule Albritton and took him into custody without further incident. Despite the two attempts to flee and the dangerous encounter at the checkpoint, authorities confirmed that no injuries occurred during the incident.
Suspect Wanted in Florida Faces 13 Charges Following Pursuit
Following Albritton’s arrest, deputies discovered that he was wanted in Florida for a probation violation. The Sheriff’s Office did not specify the underlying Florida offense or provide additional information about the circumstances surrounding that violation.
Albritton was transported to the New Hanover County Detention Facility, where he faced 13 charges stemming from the incident. Among them were assault with a deadly weapon on a government official, speeding to elude arrest, reckless driving with wanton disregard, and operating a vehicle with a fictitious or altered registration.
The Sheriff’s Office emphasized that fleeing from law enforcement creates serious risks for deputies and the surrounding community, particularly when drivers disregard commands and endanger people in the roadway. The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities said additional information will be released as it becomes available.