Tragedy on the Road: ECU Student and Highway Patrol Intern Dies in Patrol Car Crash

A promising East Carolina University student and State Highway Patrol intern, Michael Steven Higgins, 22, lost his life in an early morning crash in Greenville. The incident occurred when a trooper, attempting to overtake a suspected impaired driver, lost control of his patrol vehicle on a curve. The vehicle veered off the road, striking a utility pole and trees, resulting in Higgins' fatal injuries.

Key Takeaways

• An ECU student and Highway Patrol intern, Michael Steven Higgins, died in a patrol car crash.
• The crash occurred when the trooper lost control while attempting to overtake a suspected impaired driver.
• Higgins was a senior criminal justice major participating in the Highway Patrol's college internship program.
• The trooper involved sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
• A subsequent court ruling allowed Higgins' mother to sue the trooper for gross negligence.

The Fatal Incident

The tragic accident unfolded just before 1 a.m. as a state trooper was in pursuit of a suspected impaired driver. During the maneuver to overtake the suspect vehicle, the trooper lost control of the patrol car on a curve. The vehicle subsequently left the roadway, colliding with a utility pole and two large trees. Michael Steven Higgins, a passenger in the patrol car, succumbed to his injuries at the scene.

A Promising Future Lost

Michael Steven Higgins, a 22-year-old senior from Hertford, was pursuing a major in criminal justice at East Carolina University. He was actively involved in the Highway Patrol's college internship program, gaining valuable experience in law enforcement. Colonel Glenn M. McNeill, Jr., commander of the State Highway Patrol, expressed profound sorrow over the loss, stating, "Our college interns are a part of the Patrol family and we are in mourning as we have lost one of our own beloved members."

Legal Developments

Years after the incident, a state appeals court ruled that the mother of Michael Higgins could continue her lawsuit against the trooper involved, Omar Romero Mendoza, for gross negligence. The court reversed a lower court's dismissal, allowing the case to proceed. The lawsuit alleges that Mendoza was traveling at speeds exceeding 110 mph on a two-lane road when he lost control, striking a utility pole and trees. Higgins, a passenger in the cruiser, died from his injuries. The court's majority opinion suggested that the trooper's actions may have demonstrated a "reckless disregard of the safety of others," warranting a jury's determination.

Trooper's Condition and Patrol's Response

Trooper Omar Romero, a two-year veteran assigned to the Pitt County district, sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the crash and was transported to a local hospital. The State Highway Patrol has acknowledged the profound loss and extended condolences to Higgins' family and the ECU community.

Sources

• Michael Steven Higgins: ECU student, State Highway Patrol intern killed in patrol crash, ABC11 Raleigh-Durham.
• North Carolina court says mother of student killed in ride-along can sue trooper for negligence, ABC11 Raleigh-Durham.
• NC Trooper killed in the line of duty | ABC11 Raleigh-Durham | abc11.com, ABC11 Raleigh-Durham.
• Suspect arrested in chase, crash that left state trooper dead in Yadkin County, ABC11 Raleigh-Durham.