Two suspects charged with speed competition

By VAN HOLLAND, Editor

Two drivers were arrested simultaneously early Sunday morning and charged with several traffic offenses related to a speed competition after a Tarboro police officer clocked the duo traveling 122 MPH on U.S. 64 bypass.

According to Tarboro Police Chief Jesse Webb, around 2:30 a.m., Patrolman Matt Boyette was on patrol near the intersection of U.S. 64 bypass and Highway 258 South when he observed two vehicles traveling eastbound on U.S. 64 at a very high rate of speed.

Webb said the vehicles appeared to be racing each other based on Boyette’s observation.

Boyette was able to obtain a radar reading on the vehicles, which indicated that both vehicles were traveling 122 MPH in a 70 MPH zone.

Boyette initiated traffic stops simultaneously and detained both drivers. The first driver was identified as Luis Sebastian Guerrero-Rijo, 22, of Tarboro, and the other driver was identified as James Stephen Donaldson, 19, of Winterville.

After Boyette spoke to both suspects about what he had observed, he arrested them for spontaneous speed competition.

While continuing to process the traffic stop, several officers arrived to assist Boyette. One of the officers made contract with a passenger in Guerrero-Rijo’s vehicle and found him to be in possession of an open container of alcohol.

Webb said initial efforts to identify the passenger were met with resistance and the passenger was arrested for providing fictitious information and/or refusing to provide identification.

After detaining the passenger, who was later identified as Victor Uriel Lopez, 29, of Tarboro, a search of the passenger and the immediate area where he was seated in the vehicle yielded a loaded 9mm handgun and various rounds of ammunition.

Read the rest of this story in this week's edition of the Tar River Times.