Update: Victim identified in N.C. 11 fatal wreck

The State Highway Patrol has identified the man killed in a fiery three car wreck in Ayden after he fled a Winterville police traffic stop.

A spokesman for the agency said Friday that Marqese Perkins, 27, of Greenville, died March 16 after a crash at the intersection of N.C. 11 and N.C. 102.

The agency reported that Perkins ran a red light and crashed into a passenger car. Perkins’ vehicle proceeded across the median and struck an SUV.

Perkins’ vehicle caught fire with him inside. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

Prior to the wreck a Winterville police officer had attempted to stop Perkins on N.C. 11 because his vehicle matched the description of one involved in a domestic assault. Perkins was travelling at a high rate of speed at the time, the State Highway Patrol reported.

The suspect driver initially pulled over to the shoulder but sped away from the traffic stop as the Winterville officer exited his patrol vehicle to approach the car, the release said. It continued south at a high rate of speed.

The drivers of the other vehicles in the wreck were transported to ECU Health. Their injuries were not life-threatening.