KITTRELL, N.C. (WNCN) — A North Carolina State Highway Patrol trooper was seriously injured after being hit by a vehicle Tuesday night in Vance County, officials said.
The incident was reported just before 8 p.m. in the northbound lanes of U.S. 1 near Sunrock Road in southern Vance County just north of the Tar River, according to Master Trooper Chris Knox.
The crash happened after the trooper had stopped a vehicle and was walking to the stopped car, Knox said.
At that point, a car also headed northbound hit the trooper from behind, Knox said.
The injured trooper was flown to Duke Hospital with serious injuries, according to authorities.
At the hospital outside the emergency room, troopers were seen walking in and out, keeping vigil as the injured trooper was being cared for. There were nearly a dozen state highway patrol vehicles at the hospital.
The driver of the car that hit the trooper is in custody, according to Knox. The driver of the original car that was stopped by the trooper ended up calling 911 and reporting the crash, officials said.
Northbound traffic was re-routed so that one lane in each direction of U.S. 1 was able to remain open. The road has since fully reopened.
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