LAURINBURG — The North Carolina State Highway Patrol made an arrest Monday in connection with the hit-and-run accident on Nov. 20.
Trooper R.L. Maynor with the Highway Patrol told WLNC radio that Michael Cornelius Freeman of Cameron was arrested and charged with felony hit-and-run, no operator’s license and failure to maintain lane control.
Freeman was traveling east on Hwy. 74 Business driving a 2015 Chevy Express, registered to Aberdeen Coca-Cola Bottling Company, around 5:30 a.m. when he struck and killed 51-year-old Dorthea Ridenour of Laurinburg.
Ridenour was walking on the eastbound shoulder, as she often did to get to work. She was reportedly wearing a reflective vest and reflective hat at the time. She was believed to have been struck from behind and came to rest in a deep ditch, where she was found by co-workers who noticed she did not show up for work and recognized her hat laying on the shoulder near the scene.
Officers were called to the scene around 8:30 a.m. the same day and found a right-side mirror left at the scene that belonged to the vehicle.
The Highway Patrol was able to find the vehicle through forensics and an anonymous tip that was called in. On Nov. 25, Freeman was announced as a suspect in the case but troopers were still investigating the case before an arrest was made.
On Monday, Freeman was given a $15,000 bond and was jailed in the Scotland County Detention Center.
Reach Katelin Gandee at 910-506-3171 or at [email protected]