Photo by Doug Clark
The smashed N.C. Highway Patrol cruiser driven by trooper D.K. Pearson sits on the lawn of this 401 North Blvd. residence while family members of Butler Avenue School students pick up children from the bus that Pearson swerved to avoid hitting Monday afternoon. No injuries were reported on the bus; Pearson suffered a injured ankle.
Assistant Editor
In an attempt to avoid crashing into a Clinton City school bus carrying children, a N.C. Highway Patrol trooper ran into a home on North Boulevard in Clinton Monday afternoon, injuring his ankle and causing damage to the porch.
Trooper D.K. Pearson was traveling east on North Boulevard in pursuit of a vehicle when a school bus, traveling across North Boulevard from Jasper Street, began to cross the intersection around 3:30 p.m. Monday afternoon. Pearson swerved his vehicle to miss the bus, hit a curb and then drove into the right front porch of the home, located at 401 North Blvd.
Patrol officials said the investigation is ongoing and no charges had been filed in the incident as of press time Tuesday.
According to Dr. Robert Taylor, city schools assistant superintendent for administrative services, the bus was carrying students from Butler Avenue School. The bus remained parked after the incident and all parents of the 15-plus children on board were called. “This is the normal procedure,” said Taylor. “The good news is that no one was injured. All the kids were safe. It could have been a lot worse.”
Inside the home were a mother and her teenaged son, said home owner Nathan Barefoot, who did not know the extent of the damage to his home Monday afternoon.
“The car hit the concrete porch, but it also hit that corner of the house,” he said. “The two were inside, but they were not hurt at all. The structural damage inside had some cracking. I have called my contractor, but right now I don’t know how significant the damage inside is. We do know that the porch and some vinyl siding was damaged, but the inside where the cracking is — that could be a problem.”
In addition to the N.C. Highway Patrol, Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, Clinton Police Department, Clinton Fire Department, and Sampson County EMS were on scene Monday.
It was not clear exactly why or who trooper Pearson was in pursuit of when the incident occurred.
When asked for a comment Tuesday Morning, First Sgt. D.L. Hewitt would only say that the investigation is “ongoing”.
To reach Doug Clark call 910-592-8137 ext. 123 or send e-mail to sisports@myclintonnc.com.
So, rndarkhorse, why don't you thank the NC tax payers who will shell out the money to cover the cost of a Dodge Charger and the repairs of the Barefoot home due to D.K.'s over egarness.