Lexington Teen Charged After Pursuit Ends in Crash, Power Outage

Davidson County, NC — On June 6, 2026, detectives with the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office T.R.A.C.E. Team attempted to conduct a traffic stop on South NC Highway 150 near Michael Road in Lexington.

The driver, Dawson Payne, 19, of Lexington, failed to yield to blue lights and siren. After a short vehicle pursuit, Payne lost control of the vehicle and crashed into several mailboxes and a utility pole near the intersection of South NC Highway 150 and Hedrick Heritage Drive in Lexington, causing a brief power outage in the immediate area.

Once cleared by medical personnel, Payne was taken into custody and charged with felony flee to elude arrest, driving after consuming while under the age of 21, reckless driving, speeding and driving left of center.

Payne was placed in the Davidson County Detention Center under no bond due to being out on pretrial release at the time of the incident. He is scheduled to appear in Davidson County District Court in June 2026.

The investigation remains ongoing. As additional evidence is reviewed, further charges are anticipated.

Pursuant to North Carolina General Statute 15A-532, conditions of release in criminal proceedings are determined by judicial officials. Bond amounts are not set by members of law enforcement.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.