Sunday pursuit results in single arrest

Published 12:10 am Tuesday, August 15, 2023

By Chandler Inions

RICHFIELD — A pursuit involving Salisbury and Rowan County law enforcement ended in handcuffs for one woman over the weekend.

According to Rowan County Sheriff's Office reports, Crystal Dawn Johnson, 42, is charged with fleeing to elude arrest, no liability insurance, displaying a fictitious tag, driving without registration and failure to appear. Her bond was set at $50,000.

Reports state that Salisbury Police officers initiated the pursuit shortly before 10:30 a.m. on Sunday and that a Rowan County deputy was called in after the chase left city limits.

When the deputy joined the pursuit, Johnson was reportedly driving a white Ford F150 pickup truck southeast on Stokes Ferry Road.

Johnson then turned right onto Liberty Road. According to the report, Johnson appeared to be on her cell phone and held her phone out of the driver-side window as if recording the chase.

When Johnson reached Hwy. 52, she turned left and headed toward Abermarle.

Johnson's speed varied from 35-85 mph during the pursuit. Stanly County deputies were notified of the pursuit and set up stop sticks outside Pfeiffer University. The Rowan County deputy observed the stop stick deployment and slowed down while watching a successful hit on Johnson's passenger side tires.

Johnson drove another three minutes, then took an abrupt left turn onto Culp Road in Richfield and stopped the vehicle in the Family Dollar parking lot.

She was then arrested without further incident.