By Mark Price
The Charlotte Observer
COLUMBUS COUNTY, N.C. — The driver accused of shooting a state trooper during a failed traffic stop has been captured after an 11-hour manhunt, according to investigators in eastern North Carolina.
William Robert Smith , Jr., 48, was caught around 7 p.m. Wednesday in Columbus County, and required medical treatment for undisclosed injuries, the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office said. He is charged with attempted first-degree murder, assault on a law enforcement officer and possession of a firearm by a felony, court records show.
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The shooting happened just before 8 a.m. Wednesday in the Delco area of Columbus County, about a 145-mile drive southeast from downtown Raleigh.
“The suspect fled. A pursuit ensued. The suspect lost control of their vehicle resulting in a motor vehicle crash,” the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office said in a Sept. 16 news release.
“The suspect then fled the scene on foot. A Columbus County Sheriff’s Office Deputy encountered the suspect, an altercation occurred, resulting in the deputy sustaining a gunshot wound. The suspect then fled again on foot.”
Details of where Smith was found hiding have not been released.
The deputy is in stable condition at a hospital, officials said.
Seventy-five officers, troopers and deputies participated in the search for Smith.
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