Steven J. Perry, State Trooper, Driver Died in a Wrong-Way Crash on Durham Freeway.
A North Carolina state trooper and another driver died in a wrong-way crash early Sunday morning on the Durham Freeway, authorities said.
According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, the collision occurred around 2:45 a.m. on N.C. 147 near Anderson Street in Durham. Officials said Master Trooper Steven J. Perry, 30, was traveling northbound when his patrol vehicle was struck head-on by a 2015 Nissan Altima that was driving southbound in the northbound lanes.
Authorities identified the driver of the Altima as 39-year-old Melshawn Moore of Kinston. Both Perry and Moore were pronounced dead at the scene. No other passengers were involved.
Investigators said impairment is suspected as a factor in the crash, though specific details have not been released. Court records show Moore had prior convictions for driving while impaired in North Carolina.
Radio dispatch traffic indicated the crash was first reported shortly after 2:30 a.m. Debris blocked multiple lanes of the freeway, prompting temporary road closures near Swift Avenue. The North Carolina Department of Transportation reported that the roadway reopened by noon Sunday.
Perry had served six years with the State Highway Patrol and worked in Durham County. He was a graduate of the 148th Basic Patrol School.
In a statement, Patrol Commander Col. Freddy Johnson Jr. expressed condolences and asked the public to keep Perry’s family in their thoughts.
The crash remains under investigation.
