A Leland police officer was sent to the hospital on Dec. 26 after a woman slammed her truck into his patrol car during a 30-minute car chase.
According to Lt. J. Spence, Leland police arrived at the Walmart on New Pointe Boulevard about 10 p.m. after a report of a suspected larceny. By the time officers arrived, 51-year-old Joyce Mae Norris had already left the store and was getting into her Dodge truck.
The officers tried to speak with Norris, but she started backing into Sgt. J. Keel's patrol car, Spence said.
"After striking it several times, Norris hit another car in the parking lot before leading police on a short pursuit on U.S. 17," Spence said.
Police chased the woman into Leland's Waterford neighborhood. In the neighborhood, Cpl. D. Long tried to stop Norris and she ran into his patrol car, "pretty much a head-on collision," Spence said.
Long's car was disabled and he was sent to the hospital for problems with his wrist and knee. He was treated and released Thursday night.
Norris additionally struck a Brunswick County Sheriff's Office car on her way out of the neighborhood, Spence said.
Norris was finally arrested near the Goodwill store on Olde Regent Way. She led police on a short foot chase after getting out of her vehicle, Spence said.
Norris now faces more than 10 charges.
She was charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a law enforcement officer, felony fleeing to elude arrest, driving while intoxicated, three counts of injury to personal property, misdemeanor larceny, violating open container alcohol laws, aggressive driving and giving false information to an officer.
Norris originally told Leland police a false name upon her arrest, Spence said.
There was significant damage to the patrol cars hit by Norris. Spence said the department estimates it will cost from $8,000 to $10,000 a piece to fix the vehicles.
Copyright 2013 - Star-News, Wilmington, N.C.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
