A nearly 30-minute chase through the streets of Charlotte ended when the driver being pursued pulled into the parking lot of a police station and surrendered Thursday afternoon.

The pursuit began around 12:30 p.m., and the driver of an SUV could be seen weaving through traffic and running traffic lights as authorities followed.

About 30 minutes into the pursuit, the driver, Xavier Simmons, pulled into the parking lot of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Hickory Grove team office and surrendered to officers.

Simmons said he was being chased for a probation violation and said he didn't stop because he didn't want to back to prison.

“I miss my babies man,” Simmons said. “I can't go back there.”

Simmons was sentenced to four to six years in prison in 2009 for robbery with a dangerous weapon.

Simmons has been wanted on outstanding warrants dating to May for charges including resisting an officer and reckless driving.

Rio Simpson heard the commotion so he started to record the chase on Facebook Live.

“I am just glad everybody is safe,” Simpson said. “Nobody got harmed. No cars got hit, nothing like that.”

About the Author

Keep Reading

Sculptor Casey Schachner has designed a monument to COVID-19 victims around the globe. Modeled after dandelion flowers, the Savannah resident’s soaring outdoor sculpture is expected to be unveiled in Chicago by the fall of this year. In the background is an ultrasound image of her daughter, Lottie, who was born during the first year of the pandemic. (Stephen B. Morton for the AJC)

Credit: Stephen B. Morton for The Atlanta Journal Constitution

Featured

Former District Attorney Jackie Johnson smiles at a supporter who took her hand Monday after Senior Judge John R. Turner dismissed one of the two charges she faced.

Credit: Terry Dickson/ The Brunswick News