A man was killed in a crash Wednesday after an incident involving a stolen car earlier that morning in Durham.
According to the Durham Police Department, officers were responding to a car break-in around 5:35 a.m. around the 3500 block of Mount Mariah Road. An officer responding to the scene spotted the suspected vehicle, a stolen 2020 Kia Soul, traveling east on U.S. 15-501.
When the officer tried stopping the vehicle, it kept going. Seconds after the attempted stop, the stolen vehicle drove through a red light at the intersection of Southwest Durham Drive and hit a 2021 Toyota Highlander turning left.
EMS responded and took three people inside the Kia Soul to the hospital, one of whom had life-threatening injuries.
A passenger inside the Toyota, identified as 53-year-old Jermaine Clement of Durham, was taken to hospital, where he later died. The driver of the Toyota is expected to be okay.
Clement's childhood friend Jamie Foster called the tragedy 'senseless.'
"It's still a shock to the system this happened and the way it happened," Foster said.
Foster said Clement spent a lot of time on the roads as a driver for GoDurham, but left due to health issues.
"Even though he was going through the things he was going through, you could never tell because he was always uplifting," Foster shared.
While car thefts have been a concern among Durham residents, data from Durham Police Department shows a downward trend in these actions.
As of March 2025, Durham has had 85 motor vehicle thefts, down from 108 in February.
Thieves stole 343 motor vehicles since the start of this year, down from 396 around the same time period in 2024.
In response to an email inquiring about response to deter stolen vehicles, a spokesperson with Durham police shared the following:
“In an effort to deter this type of criminal activity, our officers conduct directed patrols in areas where we’ve seen an increase in motor vehicle thefts and break-ins, as call volume allows.”
Police told WRAL News charges stemming from the crash are still pending, and asked anyone with information regarding the crash to contact them at 919-560-4935 ext 29447.
Clement's brother-in-law, Steven Williams, released this statement to WRAL: "It is with great reverence that we speak of his indomitable spirit and boundless compassion. Despite facing significant health challenges, he has persevered, demonstrating remarkable resilience and strength against numerous adversities. The unforeseen nature of his condition has profoundly impacted the family, leaving us disheartened during this difficult period."