Charles Warner|Daily Times A chase that began in Gaffney with police officers pursuing a suspect ended when the man being pursued lost control of his car and crashed into the railing of a bridge in Jonesville Friday afternoon.

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JONESVILLE — A chase that began in Gaffney ended in Jonesville with a car crashing into a bridge railing and the driver under arrest for allegedly stealing computers from a Wal Mart.

Gaffney Police Chief Richard Turner said the incident began around noon when Wal Mart employees saw a man stealing computers from the store and notified police.

“The individual went into the Wal Mart store here in town and removed several computers and exited the store,” Turner said in a telephone interview Friday afternoon. “Employees observed this and contacted police. Officers attempted to intercept him there in the parking lot but he fled in his vehicle on Floyd Baker Boulevard which led him to Highway 18 which goes straight into Jonesville and Union. Other officers joined the chase as well as Cherokee County sheriff’s deputies.

“The subject traveled down 18 at a high rate of speed,” he said. “When he entered Jonesville he lost control and struck the railing on the bridge and came to a stop about 50 yards from that. Officers took him into custody at that time and transported him back to Gaffney.”

Turner said the suspect was taken to Upstate Carolina Medical Center where he was being examined for any possible injuries. He said he would then be taken to the Cherokee County Detention Center. Turner said the suspect could be charged with grand larceny and failure to stop for a blue light. He said he did not have the suspect’s name or any further information about his condition.

Turner said the computers the suspect is accused of taking from the Wal Mart were recovered.

Union County Sheriff David Taylor said his office was contacted between 12:15 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. by the Gaffney authorities requesting assistance in capturing the suspect. However, Taylor said that the suspect had already crashed by the time deputies arrived on the scene.

Jonesville Police Chief Jimmy Kimbrell said he was on S.C. 18 when the suspect came up behind him and sped past him and he joined in the chase. He said the suspect lost control of his car in the curve on the bridge on Pacolet Street and crashed into the railing, continuing on down the sidewalk until coming to a halt near the Main Street end of the bridge.

Editor Charles Warner can be reached at 864-427-1234, ext. 14, or by email at cwarner@heartlandpublications.com.