Sharika Byrd is the 18 year old pregnant woman who was riding in the backseat of the car at the time of the chase. She was arrested immediately after the crash and was cited for resisting a public officer. She told 6News she did not know the vehicle was stolen. Her story is hard to believe considering Byrd is no angel. She has 9 arrests since 2004. She was arrested for some serious offenses including several arrests for possession of a stolen vehicle, larceny of a motor vehicle, receiving a stolen vehicle, unlawful concealment and more.According to the NC Dept. of Corrections website, Byrd was only prosecuted for one of her many felonies (larceny of a motor vehicle) with a suspended sentence and 36 months probation. Her sentence started in January of 2005 so I would think her involvement with this crime would be a probation violation but she is still out on the streets.
The driver of the car during the chase was Byrd's 18 year old boyfriend, Eric Clay. He was arrested for possession of a stolen vehicle and seven other charges after leading police on a 30-minute chase. He sure knows how to care for his girlfriend and her unborn baby, doesn't he? Clay was captured by police in the woods behind one of the homes.NC Department of Corrections records show Clay was released from prison in September after serving nearly five years for armed robbery. Records indicate Clay was arrested in 2001 for a robbery with a dangerous weapon. He was 13 years old!
Mecklenburg County Jail records indicate Clay was arrested again less than two weeks after his release from prison. He was charged with possession of cocaine with the intent to sell or distribute, and was released on a $20,000 bond. Police were still investigating whether Clay is connected to a series of break-ins and robberies in Uptown Charlotte. And they are having a baby...