North Carolina

Stabbing call leads police to body at scene of hit-and-run crash, NC cops say

Knives were found at the scene of a deadly hit-and-run crash in North Carolina.
Knives were found at the scene of a deadly hit-and-run crash in North Carolina. Getty Images/iStockphoto

A stabbing call led police to a body at the scene of a hit-and-run crash, North Carolina officials said.

Now, Wilmington police are searching for clues about the driver accused of striking two people and leaving them along Carolina Beach Road. The road, also known as U.S. Highway 421, is a busy thoroughfare that leads to popular coastal towns.

Officers responded late Nov. 12 to a report of a “stabbing that occurred following an altercation between two people.” The Wilmington Police Department in its original news release said two people had stab wounds and also had been hit by a vehicle.

But then on Nov. 13, officials shared an update, saying officers at the scene found knives on the ground and two injured men. Both of them reportedly were walking in the road before the hit-and-run.

“Progress in the investigation and additional evidence indicates a stabbing may not have occurred, as previously reported,” the police department wrote in its latest news release.

One of the injured men died at the scene of the crash. He was identified as 54-year-old Guy Wescott, a Brunswick County resident.

“At this time, WPD investigators are working to determine all of the specific details surrounding this incident,” officers wrote. “The cause of death is currently under investigation and is pending an autopsy.”

The other injured man was rushed to a hospital in serious condition, police said.

As of Nov. 13, police were investigating the crash as a felony hit-and-run and searched for a “dark in color SUV with front end damage.” Anyone with information is asked to call officers at 910-343-3609 or use the smartphone app called tip411.

The Wilmington Police Department told McClatchy News it didn’t have additional information to share on Nov. 14.

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Simone Jasper
The News & Observer
Simone Jasper is a service journalism reporter at The News & Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina.
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