CHARLESTON, SC – After being involved in a hit-and run wreck in West Ashley, a Mt. Pleasant man then crashed his SUV trying to evade police in downtown Charleston. 
The Charleston Police Department incident report states officers responded to the intersection of Savannah Highway and Stoker Drive after reports of a hit-and-run around 8 p.m. Upon arrival, a man told them he was rear-ended by a GMC Yukon while sitting at the light – pushing him into the intersection and then taking off.
A driver who witnessed the accident pursued the at-fault driver and informed police of his whereabouts.
Once officers had their target in sight, the driver, Michael Barber, began to increase his speed to get away. The police then decided to stop the pursuit.
The fleeing driver appeared to possibly have disregarded a stop sign before colliding with an SCE&G utility pole. He then jumped out of his vehicle and fled on foot.
Officers found him hiding a short time later behind a home.
Barber appeared to be under the influence of alcohol, said police. According to the report, Barber was on his way to pick up his sons in West Ashley.
He was charged with failure to stop for blue lights, reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident involving minor injury and cited for driving too fast for conditions.
