A woman fleeing police and a motorcyclist died in separate wrecks in Franklin over the last week with law enforcement suspecting alcohol playing a role in both.
On the night of Thursday, Dec. 5, the Franklin Police Department was called to the Georgia Road Ingles at 10:16 p.m. to investigate a shoplifting case.
“During the call, officers were dealing with the female suspect in the parking lot,” FPD stated.
“One officer smelled a very strong odor of an alcoholic beverage from within the passenger area of the suspect’s vehicle. The officers were attempting to investigate further to determine impairment. The suspect locked the vehicle doors and refused commands by officers to open the doors.”
FPD Chief Devin Holland said they later found an open bottle of vodka in the vehicle.
The suspect then fled, FPD said. In a vehicle pursuit joined by the Macon County Sheriff’s Office, officers followed the suspect from Georgia Road to Wide Horizon Drive. Holland said the chase reached speeds of over 70 mph.
“The suspect lost control of the vehicle, drove off of the left side of the roadway, and collided into a tree,” FPD stated. “The suspect died at the scene of the collision.”
N.C. State Highway Patrol trooper Justin Dockery, who investigated the wreck aftermath, said the wreck happened 0.2 miles up Wide Horizon Drive, at the first right curve going from Georgia Road. Dockery said the car went down the embankment before hitting a tree. No other cars or vehicles were involved in the wreck.
NCSHP identified the woman as Lorinda Shook, 54, of Macon County.
Motorcycle wreck kills one
A motorcyclist speeding into the Porter Street and Wayah Street roundabout died Monday after a Sunday night wreck.
According to Holland, the call came in at 8:45 p.m. A dual sport motorcyclist traveling west on Wayah Street hit the roundabout at Porter Street going straight and wrecked.
Holland said no other vehicles were involved, despite people initially thinking there was another vehicle.
Holland estimates the cyclist was going around 50 mph. The speed limit on that stretch of Wayah Street in front of Franklin High School is 25 mph.
On Tuesday, FPD identified the deceased as Christopher Green, 34, of Franklin.
Holland said another motorcyclist who was following the one who wrecked was at the scene when police arrived and FPD arrested that person for DWI.