71-year-old robbery suspect dies in crash while eluding capture, NC police say

A fatal SUV crash involving an armed robbery suspect revealed the driver was a 71-year-old man, according to investigators in North Carolina.

The crash happened around 6:45 p.m. Thursday, May 7, just minutes after Peter Washington is alleged to have robbed a pharmacy, the Greensboro Police Department said in a May 14 news release.

“Officers were dispatched to an armed subject call at the Walgreens at 901 East Bessemer Avenue. While en route, officers were informed that the subject left in a black SUV,” police said in a May 15 news release.

“An officer pulled behind the suspect’s vehicle and attempted a traffic stop. ... The SUV then accelerated and drove off. The officer immediately deactivated blue lights, chose not to pursue, and continued to travel at approximately the speed limit, losing sight of the SUV.”

The officer continued in the same direction, and discovered the SUV had crashed on a two-lane bridge over U.S. 29 and the driver had been ejected, officials said.

“The driver did not survive their injuries,” police said. “After the crash, officers were informed the suspect had committed an armed robbery at the Walgreens before fleeing the business.”

Greensboro is about a 90-mile drive northeast from uptown Charlotte.

This story was originally published May 15, 2026 at 10:43 AM with the headline "71-year-old robbery suspect dies in crash while eluding capture, NC police say."