Pittsboro man leads troopers on high-speed chase, barricades inside home

Pittsboro, NC – A dramatic scene unfolded in Pittsboro on Sunday as a local man led North Carolina State Highway Patrol troopers on a high-speed chase before barricading himself inside his home. The incident, which began late Saturday night, ended with the man’s arrest early Sunday morning.

Chad Vernon Clark

The chase started when a state trooper attempted to stop a vehicle on Interstate 87 near Interstate 440 in Wake County. The driver, identified as 47-year-old Chad Vernon Clark of Pittsboro, failed to stop and led troopers on a chase that continued onto Interstate 40.

Clark exited the highway at Exit 273 and eventually pulled into the driveway of his Pittsboro home, where he barricaded himself inside. The North Carolina State Highway Patrol, with assistance from the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office and the Pittsboro Police Department, surrounded the house and engaged in a standoff that lasted several hours.

The standoff ended at 5 a.m. Sunday when Clark was taken into custody without incident. No injuries were reported during the chase or the arrest.

Clark faces multiple charges, including felony fleeing to elude arrest, reckless driving, and resisting a public officer. He was booked into the Chatham County Detention Center and is being held without bond pending a court appearance.