An 18-year-old Mount Pleasant man was arrested early Monday after police said he fled a traffic stop and led officers on a pursuit that spanned two Charleston-area interstates.
According to the North Charleston Police Department, an officer was patrolling near Rivers Avenue and Otranto Road around 3:15 a.m. when a vehicle was observed speeding westbound. The driver allegedly ran a red light and continued accelerating.
When the officer activated emergency lights and siren, police said the vehicle did not stop. Instead, the driver allegedly entered the eastbound lanes of I-26 and turned off the vehicle’s lights in an attempt to evade law enforcement.
Due to construction on I-26, the North Charleston officer discontinued the pursuit. However, deputies with the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, who were assisting, continued following the vehicle onto I-526 east.
Authorities said the driver was unable to navigate the I-526 off-ramp onto Long Point Road and the vehicle became immobile. Deputies detained the driver and a juvenile passenger at the scene.
North Charleston officers later took custody of the driver, identified as Ray’Monte Jamari Reed, and recovered a handgun from the vehicle. Reed has been charged with failure to stop for blue lights and siren, driving without a license, and disregarding a traffic control device. He was transported to the Al Cannon Detention Center.
