Police searching for hit-and-run bobtail truck driver who ran over woman dislodging traffic cone

Police are searching for a hit-and-run bobtail truck driver that struck a woman on Interstate 26 in North Carolina early on Christmas morning. 

The accident happened before 12:30 a.m. on December 25th on eastbound I-26 in Henderson County, North Carolina near mile marker 46. 

According to a witness, motorist Pamela Alexander was traveling on I-26 when she struck a traffic cone, which became lodged beneath her car. Alexander then tried to remove the cone without exiting her car, but was unsuccessful and fell out of the vehicle. Alexander then asked the witness to help her get the car off the roadway. 

As the witness moved the car for Alexander, she apparently remained in the roadway, where she was struck by a bobtail rig. After the collision, the truck driver kept driving and fled the scene, reported ABC 13 News.

Troopers arrived at the scene to find a woman laying in the roadway. 

“They did find one deceased that had been struck and a witness was still on scene,” Sgt. Contas, who is involved in the investigation, explained.

“She was asking for the witness to help her and get her car off the roadway and while he was doing so, he assumed that she was following him and when he got the vehicle off the roadway, he said that’s when she was struck,” Contas continued.

Contas says that the rig was white and likely has extensive front damage, and even some missing pieces. 

“In this situation here, it was a well lighted area with sufficient sight distance,” he said. “So this person knew that they hit someone. And if they didn’t know it was someone, they knew they hit something,” Sgt. Contas said. 

“We need to find that vehicle. We need to find that operator, you know, and speak with him and get some answers.”

Anyone with information on a white semi-truck with extensive damage to the front, is asked to immediately contact NCSHP at 828-405-6003.