Early Monday, a single‑vehicle crash near Rich Square, North Carolina turned tragic when a man died and the woman behind the wheel now faces a slate of charges in connection with the wreck.
Around 2 a.m. on Highway 305 near the Hertford County line, North Carolina State Highway Patrol troopers were called to the scene after a vehicle left its lane, veered into a roadside ditch and hit a Department of Transportation sign. The crash happened as the driver tried to avoid what she said was an animal in the road.
The person in the passenger seat, 42‑year‑old Dexter Jermaine Jenkins of Ahoskie, was pronounced dead at the scene by first responders. Friends and family in the tight‑knit eastern North Carolina community are in shock, many struggling to make sense of how a routine late‑night ride turned fatal.
Troopers identified the driver as 31‑year‑old Jalissa Latifah Eley of Gaston. Though she did not register positive for alcohol on the scene, officials charged her with driving left of center, driving while license revoked, misdemeanor death by motor vehicle, and open container violation because an open drink was found in the vehicle she owned.
Neighbors described Jenkins as someone quick with a smile and always willing to lend a hand. In the early hours of this quiet winter morning, those memories now stand in stark contrast to the flashing blue lights and the reality of loss.
Eley has been taken into custody and is awaiting her first court appearance. Local law enforcement officials emphasized that charges are allegations and the case will play out in court, where evidence and testimony will shape the legal outcome.
Investigators continue to piece together what happened in the moments leading up to the crash, including whether factors like road conditions or wildlife played any role. Family members of Jenkins are being supported by friends as they plan memorial arrangements.
The North Carolina State Highway Patrol reminds motorists that late‑night drives in rural areas can be unpredictable, especially in winter, when animals are more active near roadways and visibility can be limited.
