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Department of Public Safety Secretary Erik A. Hooks and Department of Information Technology Secretary and State Chief Information Officer Eric Boyette today visited two schools in Craven County to present boxes of school supplies as part of Governor Roy Cooper’s Third Annual School Supply Drive.
As students across North Carolina make preparations to begin the school year, the State Highway Patrol is requesting the motoring public to keep safe travel a top priority. More than 14,000 school buses will be hitting the roadways, transporting over 790,000 children to and from school. With this in mind, motorists are encouraged to plan for delays as congestion is to be expected during the morning and afternoon commute.
In the wake of multiple recent mass shooting incidents across the country and less than four months since the tragic school shooting at UNC Charlotte, Gov. Roy Cooper and his public safety team convened state leaders in education, public safety, public health and criminal justice today in Greensboro to learn the latest information on initiatives aimed at protecting North Carolina schools from senseless acts of mass violence.
On the morning of July 22, Trooper Chris Wooten was seriously injured as a result of a motor vehicle collision that occurred near the intersection of Tuckaseegee Road and Edgewood Road in Charlotte. Since the crash, Wooten has been hospitalized, receiving around-the-clock care due to the serious nature of his injuries.
WHAT: Quarterly meeting of the State Reentry Council Collaborative (SRCC). The SRCC was established by the North Carolina General Assembly and Governor Roy Cooper in 2017 and is managed by the North Carolina Department of Public Safety. The SRCC is made up of representatives from across state and local government whose agency responsibilities intersect with the incarceration or reentry process for people in North Carolina.
The State Highway Patrol and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department are investigating a crash involving a state trooper that occurred today on Tuckaseegee Road and Edgewood Road in Charlotte. Trooper Christopher L. Wooten, a 14-year veteran assigned to the Patrol’s motorcycle unit, was attempting to conduct a traffic stop when the crash occurred. As a result, Wooten was transported to a local hospital where he is listed in critical condition.
On Wednesday, June 26, members of the State Highway Patrol received notification the organization’s promotion process had been put on hold due to an allegation the testing process had been compromised. Based on the serious nature of this allegation, an internal investigation was immediately initiated. Contact was made with N.C. State University, the promotion process Program Administrator, to make them aware of the complaint and to request that they conduct an independent investigation.
As the July Fourth Holiday approaches, the State Highway Patrol is encouraging motorists to focus on safe driving while traveling to their intended destinations. As traffic is expected to increase throughout the week, troopers will be out in full force monitoring driver behavior.
Authorities have identified Enrique Lopez, 26, of Smithfield as the suspect in yesterday’s pursuit involving a state trooper in Johnston County. Lopez was attempting to elude law enforcement while fleeing in a stolen tow truck on US 70 Business. During the pursuit, Lopez began shooting at pursuing troopers who then returned fire as they neared the city of Clayton. The pursuit concluded as Lopez crashed into a tree on the eastbound shoulder of US 70 Business.
On Monday, July 1st, at approximately 4:23 p.m. the State Highway Patrol attempted to stop a stolen tow truck on Black Creek Rd. in Johnston County after receiving a call for assistance by local authorities. As the pursuit traveled onto US 70 Business west the driver of the stolen tow truck began shooting at pursuing troopers who then returned fire as they neared the city of Clayton.