Man with more than 50 arrests killed 2 in crash after stealing truck from Raleigh dealership, warrants say
Raleigh police say William Barber was seen traveling more than 80 miles per hour in the downtown area before a crash that killed two people.
Posted — UpdatedBarber blew through stoplights before slamming into another car on Dec. 28 at the intersection of Blount Street and Cabarrus Street – killing two people.
Barber, the man authorities said was responsible for their deaths, had previously been arrested dozens of times and later died in jail.
A white Dodge Ram pick-up truck was stolen earlier that evening from Aria Motors on Capital Boulevard.
The search warrant states that the truck struck the Corolla with sufficient energy to crush and deform the shape of the back of the car.
The warrant states that Barber claimed to both the responding officer and later when interviewed that the pickup truck belonged to him and that he got it because he was "tired of walking."
The officer wrote that Barber was known to use cocaine and admitted to officers that he used cocaine the same day as the crash.
After the crash, Barber was transported to the hospital. He was also charged him two counts of felony involuntary manslaughter along with felony larceny of motor vehicle.
Barber has been arrested 55 times since 2010 for numerous offenses, including intoxicated and disruptive behavior, trespassing, drug charges, indecent exposure and assault.
According to the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, Barber suffered a medical emergency inside the Wake County Jail on Jan. 9. He died several days later.
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