Report: Driver explains 120 mph chase by telling deputy ‘YOLO, You Only Live Once’
BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - A 27-year-old man was arrested following a high speed chase in Berkeley County in which speeds reached speeds of 120 mph.
The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office charged Gage Plourde with failure to stop for blue lights.
Responding deputies said Plourde was a passenger in an SUV which was stopped by deputies, and that he kicked out the initial driver and led deputies in a chase which ended with the vehicle in a ditch.
Authorities say when deputies asked Plourde why he was attempting to flee, he told them “YOLO, You Only Live Once.”
Deputies also arrested 44-year-old William Charles Whitacre and 24-year-old Anastasia Marie Snyder.
Investigation begins with traffic violation
The whole thing began early Wednesday morning when a deputy was patrolling the area of North Highway 52 and saw an SUV failing to use a turn signal which led the deputy to attempt a traffic stop.
A report states when the vehicle came to a stop the driver, identified as Whitacre, said he was being forced out of the vehicle by the passenger, identified as Plourde, who got into the driver seat and sped away from the traffic stop which led to a car chase.
During the chase, authorities say Plourde’s vehicle reached speeds of 120 mph, however deputies reported they were able to deploy stop sticks striking the SUV’s tires twice.
The SUV then drove into a ditch, at which time Plourde and Snyder fled from the vehicle, according to the sheriff’s office. Plourde was captured by a K-9 unit, and Snyder was taken into custody by deputies.
The incident report states that when deputies asked Plourde why he attempted to flee from them, he said, “YOLO, You Only Live Once.” Responding deputies reported Plourde also said he did not need a reason to run, that he has run from law enforcement 25 separate times, and this was the first time he was caught.
Investigators report discrepancies in driver report
Investigators said that Whitacre initially told them he did not know Plourde or Snyder, and he was just giving them a ride. He said once the deputy’s blue lights activated for the initial traffic stop, Plourde told him not to stop and keep going, then forced him out of the vehicle.
The incident report states that Whitacre said he did not wish to prosecute Plourde or Snyder for carjacking, however deputies said during the investigation it was determine that Whitacre was not telling the truth and worked with Plourde on several construction jobs.
A search of the SUV yielded several bags of marijuana and a bag containing a white rock-like substance that field tested for cocaine base.
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