Man Breaks Into House, Steals Car, Wrecks it, Dies

Around 12:15 a.m. on Oct. 8 officers responded to a suspicious person at a Harve Mathis Road residence. The homeowner said she was awakened by her dog barking. When she looked outside, she saw an unknown man in her yard. She then called police.

The man kicked in the front door, came inside and tried to take her purse from her hands but couldn't do so. As he left, he grabbed her keys, which were by the front door. The suspect then left in her 2002 Toyota Tacoma.

Other responding officers were given a description of the vehicle. An officer who was north bound on Spring Valley Road saw a red pickup truck turn from Voyles Road onto Spring Valley Road.

The officer turned around to follow it but never saw vehicle tail lights all the way to Ranick Rd. He turned around and backtracked until he located the vehicle: it had run off the road near Gretchen Lane. The driver apparently lost control of the vehicle as he went around a slight curve. He crossed the north bound lanes, went up an embankment and struck several trees--the last one he hit head on.

The driver wasn't wearing a seat belt and died at the scene. He was identified as Shawn Vahal McRae, 42, of Winter Hill Dr. The vehicle was confirmed to be the one stolen from Harve Mathis Road. The investigation continues.