JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — An Onslow County Sheriff’s Office deputy has been treated and released after his vehicle was struck by another vehicle during a traffic stop for an impaired driver.
Onslow County Sheriff Chris Thomas said the incident happened at 10 a.m. on Thursday. Sgt. J. Gober of the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office attempted to stop Scott Faulkner on the Jacksonville Bypass near Wilmington Highway during an impaired driver incident. Faulkner continued driving before stopping on the Louis Sewell Bridge.
Officials said Faulkner stopped on the left of the travel lane, partially on the shoulder and partially on the roadway. Gober requested a state trooper to assist on the scene and returned to his vehicle. While waiting for the trooper, another driver rear-ended his patrol vehicle.
Gober’s vehicle was pushed into Faulkner’s vehicle during the crash and across the travel lanes to the right side of the roadway. Gober and the driver of the vehicle that crashed into his vehicle, Kelly Brown, were taken to Onslow Memorial Hospital. Gober was treated and later released.
Faulkner was arrested for Driving While Impaired. He was reported to have had a Breath Alcohol Concentration of .17. Brown was charged with failing to move over for a stopped emergency vehicle and failure to wear a seatbelt.
The NC Highway Patrol is conducting the wreck investigation.
“We are extremely fortunate that Sergeant Gober and the other drivers were not seriously injured,” Thomas said. “No matter how simple the task may seem, in law enforcement, our deputies put their lives on the line daily.
“Please make sure always to be careful when driving around emergency vehicles. Unfortunately, this crash resulted from an impaired driver, and as this month is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, we continue to ask community members never to drive impaired.”
