Kidnapping victim injured after man leads troopers on high-speed chase, crashes in Wake County

A man is in custody after troopers say he kidnapped a woman and led officers on a high-speed chase that ended in a crash in Wake County on Sunday night.

According to court documents, Joshua Taylor Stokes faces charges in connection to the crash – including first-degree kidnapping and driving while impaired. Authorities learned about the situation Sunday afternoon in Edgecombe County, when troopers tried to stop a Dodge Challenger with a Virginia license plate.

Heather Oliver, the kidnapping victim, was injured during the high speed chase and crash. Authorities said the driver being pursued was going 146 miles per hour in a 65 mph zone. WRAL News is working to learn whether she was injured before or during the crash.

On Monday, the judge set a $300,000 secured bond for Stokes for domestic violence-related charges. Stokes also has pending charges out of Currituck County for felony flee to elude reckless driving and speeding. He's due back in court Dec. 13 in Currituck County. The judge set a secured bond in that case of $20,000.

Stokes sped through Edgecombe, Nash and Franklin counties before reaching Wake County.

Oliver had been reported missing in Virginia Beach, and was presumed to have been kidnapped by Stokes.

"It was obvious he was fleeing from something because he was driving like he wasn't afraid of wrecking," said Charles Buis, who was narrowly missed by Stokes as he flew by in a Dodge Challenger. "I was in the left-hand lane, and I noticed a brightly-colored muscle car coming up behind me at an extremely high rate of speed."

The crash caused a temporary roadblock at the intersection of U.S. 64 and Lizard Lick Road. Upon arrival, authorities found a vehicle with extensive damage.

Stokes and Oliver were treated for minor injuries at the hospital.

"The rear of his vehicle probably only missed the front of my truck by at most three feet, and considering he was going 120 mph, I'm just really thankful he did clear the vehicle and didn't clip me, because it would have sent me spinning into the center median," said Buis.

Part of the road was closed while investigators gathered evidence.

"It was obvious it was something very serious," Buis said. "Don't know what, but nobody driving like that was getting away from just a speeding ticket."

The State Highway Patrol is currently leading the investigation into the crash.