Police chase ends with 1 SC woman dead, 2 charged

WARE SHOALS, S.C. (AP) — Abbeville County authorities say a stolen car being chased by police crashed into a sport utility vehicle, killing a 55-year-old woman and exposing a mobile methamphetamine lab.

WYFF-TV reports (http://bit.ly/olISdT ) Gerald Russell Gaines is charged with felony driving under the influence, possession of a stolen vehicle and manufacturing meth. Passenger Richey Ann Hodges is also charged with manufacturing meth.

Investigators say Gaines drove off after a deputy tried to pull him over, and a brief pursuit ended with Gaines crashing into a sport utility vehicle in a Ware Shoals intersection. SUV passenger Linda Williams died. Her brother was driving. Jimmy Turner and a third person in the SUV were injured.

Abbeville County Sheriff Charles Goodwin says his deputy stayed below 50 mph and the chase was less than a mile.

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Information from: WYFF-TV, http://www.wyff4.com/index.html