Kinston, NC (August 11, 2026) – A Kinston police officer was treated for minor injuries after a wrong-way driver struck his patrol car head-on at Highway 11 and JP Harrison Boulevard Sunday, August 9, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. The officer’s cruiser was stopped at a traffic signal when 42-year-old Kendra Davis, driving south in the northbound lanes, struck it.
The officer was taken to UNC Health Lenoir with minor injuries. Davis was also taken to the hospital with minor injuries and was charged with driving while impaired, having an open container of alcohol, and driving left of center.
We hope both the officer and Davis have a full recovery.
Why Are Wrong-Way Crashes at Intersections With Stopped Vehicles So Dangerous?
A vehicle traveling the wrong way on a road built for one-directional traffic removes the usual buffer of reaction time other drivers rely on. A stopped vehicle at a signal has no ability to maneuver out of the way, since it’s positioned to comply with the intersection rather than anticipate oncoming traffic from an unexpected direction.
Impairment can significantly affect a driver’s ability to recognize they’re going the wrong way in the first place, let alone correct course once they realize it. This is part of why wrong-way crashes are statistically more likely to involve impaired driving than most other crash types.
Investigators typically look at entry points, signage, and any witness accounts to determine how and where a driver first entered the wrong lanes. This kind of review helps establish the sequence of events leading up to a crash like this one.
