Photos

Motorists headed into Charlotte this morning along Independence Boulevard from the east side discovered the Brookshire Freeway ramp was closed due to Thursday night's fiery crash and death on the Brookshire Freeway. The Brookshire Freeway is closed, from Independence Boulevard (the John Belk/Brookshire split) to Interstate 77. DAVIE HINSHAW~dhinshaw@charlotteobserver.com

Motorists headed into Charlotte this morning along Independence Boulevard from the east side discovered the Brookshire Freeway ramp was closed due to Thursday night's fiery crash and death on the Brookshire Freeway. The Brookshire Freeway is closed, from Independence Boulevard (the John Belk/Brookshire split) to Interstate 77. DAVIE HINSHAW~dhinshaw@charlotteobserver.com

01/09/09 Crews were still working Friday morning to repair the road and install overhead signs that were damaged on the Brookshire Freeway during Thursday night's fiery crash and death on the Brookshire Freeway. The Brookshire Freeway is closed, from Independence Boulevard (the John Belk/Brookshire split) to Interstate 77. DAVIE HINSHAW - dhinshaw@charlotteobserver.com

01/09/09 Crews were still working Friday morning to repair the road and install overhead signs that were damaged on the Brookshire Freeway during Thursday night's fiery crash and death on the Brookshire Freeway. The Brookshire Freeway is closed, from Independence Boulevard (the John Belk/Brookshire split) to Interstate 77. DAVIE HINSHAW - dhinshaw@charlotteobserver.com

01/09/09 Crews were still working Friday morning to repair the road and install overhead signs that were damaged on the Brookshire Freeway during Thursday night's fiery crash and death on the Brookshire Freeway. The Brookshire Freeway is closed, from Independence Boulevard (the John Belk/Brookshire split) to Interstate 77. DAVIE HINSHAW - dhinshaw@charlotteobserver.com

Photographer Tom Swint made this photo Thursday night, seconds after the accident on the Brookshire Freeway. Via e-mail, he told the Observer photo desk, "I was driving home just after the SUV crashed and started burning. The first CPD crusier just pulled up as I passed the burning SUV. I took a quick photo before it exploded." Photo by TOM SWINT - SPECIAL TO THE OBSERVER

A spectacular accident Thursday night involving a carjacking, a fatal traffic accident, a police chase, gunshots, and a burning vehicle closed the westbound Brookshire Freeway in uptown Charlotte just east of the Hamilton Street overpass. The driver of the destroyed SUV ran from the accident, sparking a large manhunt in the area of the intersection of I-77 and I-277. GARY O'BRIEN - gobrien@charlotteobserver.com

Dozens of police officers converged on the scene, stringing yellow crime scene tape around the scene. GARY O'BRIEN - gobrien@charlotteobserver.com

The driver of the destroyed SUV ran from the accident, sparking a large manhunt in the area of the intersection of I-77 and I-277, just east of the Hamilton Street overpass. GARY O'BRIEN - gobrien@charlotteobserver.com

A spectacular accident Thursday night involving a carjacking, a fatal traffic accident, a police chase, gunshots, and a burning vehicle closed the westbound Brookshire Freeway in uptown Charlotte just east of the Hamilton Street overpass. The driver of the destroyed SUV ran from the accident, sparking a large manhunt in the area of the intersection of I-77 and I-277. GARY O'BRIEN - gobrien@charlotteobserver.com

While officers combed the adjoining woods and streets, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police drew a ring around the Greenville neighborhood, stopping traffic here on Hamilton Street. GARY O'BRIEN - gobrien@charlotteobserver.com