Bolton, NC (June 25, 2026) - According to local reports and police statements, a Columbus County sheriff’s deputy died Thursday morning after a tractor-trailer struck his marked patrol vehicle in a highway work zone on U.S.-74/76 near the Hallsboro Road exit.
The crash was reported shortly before 11:00 a.m., with officials giving times of about 10:40 a.m. and 10:51 a.m. Deputy Damien Draper Bost, 30, of Nakina, was parked in the median with emergency lights activated while assisting a roadway striping operation in the westbound lanes. Authorities said the work involved permanent lane markings connected to a repaving project.
Officials said a subcontractor crew was working in the area with a truck-mounted attenuator and a pavement-marking vehicle. Sheriff Bill Rogers said Bost was positioned to warn drivers and help shield the road crew while workers conducted paint operations in the right lane.
According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, a tractor-trailer driven by David Samuel McPherson, 33, of Clarkton, failed to reduce speed and struck Bost’s patrol vehicle from behind. The tractor-trailer then hit a bumper truck ahead of the patrol vehicle. The 24-year-old operator of that bumper truck was transported to an area hospital, and reports described injuries to subcontractor workers as minor or not fully disclosed.
Deputy Bost was taken to Columbus Regional Healthcare System, where he was pronounced dead. McPherson was not injured. After the collision, the tractor-trailer crossed the median and caught fire on the left side of U.S.-74.
McPherson was arrested and charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle, reckless driving, and failure to reduce speed. He was transported to the Columbus County Law Enforcement Center and issued a $100,000 secured bond. Reports stated that he was expected in court on Monday, August 3.
The North Carolina State Highway Patrol is investigating the crash, with assistance from its Collision Reconstruction Unit. Sheriff Rogers said Bost had served with the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office for eight years. Reports also identified him as a school resource officer and noted his work with students, including references to Old Dock Elementary School and South Columbus High School. Bost is survived by his wife and two children.