An elderly Sampson County man was struck and killed by a state trooper. That trooper has now been placed on administrative leave.
The Highway Patrol says 80-year-old Ottis Parker of Clinton died after being struck by the cruiser around 7:00 p.m. The man was crossing Highway 242 in Salemburg when he was hit by the trooper.
Trooper Emory Brown has been placed on administrative leave pending completion of their investigation.
Brown is a 9-year veteran of the patrol and is currently assigned to the Motor Carrier Enforcement Section in Troop B.
This is the second pedestrian struck and killed by a state trooper in Eastern Carolina in less than a year and a half.
In July 2011, Trooper Derrick Bank's cruiser hit Bradley Carie as the man was walking down the U.S. 17 bypass outside of Elizabeth City. In that case the Highway Patrol said the trooper was not at fault in the accident.
