Man arrested after deadly police chase, now charged with murder

MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. (WITN) – A man arrested during a fatal police chase in Morehead City earlier this year has been charged with second-degree murder.

Today, a Carteret County grand jury indicted Cody Schultz, according to prosecutors.

In addition to second-degree murder, the 33-year-old Goldsboro man was charged with three counts of aggravated assault by vehicle, fleeing arrest by motor vehicle, possession of a firearm by a felon, driving while impaired, reckless driving, speeding, failure to yield lane control, failure to stop at a red light, driving with a suspended license, open container and possession of marijuana up to half an ounce.

The crash on US 70 on March 3 killed Sueellen Leonard.

The woman, her husband Nathaniel and two of their three children were in their Toyota Tacoma when it was struck at the intersection of US 70 and Hestron Drive.

Police had been pursuing Schulz after he drove erratically on Highway 70. Police said Schulz failed to stop and led officers on a brief chase before crashing just before 8 p.m

Schulz, who was driving a 2004 Jeep Cherokee, struck the driver's side mirror of a 2012 Ford passenger car before colliding with Nathaniel Leonard's 2020 Toyota Tacoma.

Prosecutor Scott Thomas says Schulz is being held on $1 million bond and will appear in court tomorrow on the charges.

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