A 19-year-old paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division died Saturday after losing control of his motorcycle during a high-speed chase with a sheriff's deputy, according to Army and police reports.

The Wake County, North Carolina, deputy attempted to pull over Pfc. James Smith around 11:20 a.m. for speeding outside Fuquay-Varina, about an hour north of Fort Bragg, according to an incident summary provided by the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. Smith, of Eatonville, Washington, was going 80 miles per hour in a 45 mph zone, the summary states, but reached speeds of 145 miles per hour "after the deputy activated his emergency equipment."

Smith lost control of his 2006 Yamaha while traveling about 100 mph, overturned and hit a pickup truck that was sitting at a stop sign, the summary states. The soldier was ejected from the bike and found under the truck; he died at the scene.

There were no other injuries. WTVD-TV in Raleigh-Durham reported a man and his 14-year-old son were in the truck, but were unharmed.

Smith, a range extension operator with C Company, 307th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, reported to Bragg in September, according to an Army news release. He entered service in June 2014 and earned an Army Commendation Medal and Parachutist Badge, among other honors.

He is survived by his mother, father and stepmother, the Army release states.

About Kevin Lilley

Kevin Lilley is the features editor of Military Times.

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