Photo: Kinston Fire & Rescue website.

On Tuesday, July 18, 2023, at 8:00 pm, officers from Kinston Police Department responded to the front parking lot of Kinston Department of Fire & Rescue Station #1 (401 E. Vernon Avenue) in reference to a single motor vehicle accident. Upon arrival, officers observed a 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe resting on the roof on the front concrete pad in front of Station #1. The sole occupant of the vehicle, Donte Fordham, (34) of Kinston, was deceased from injuries he sustained in the motor vehicle accident. Speed as well as the driver not wearing a seatbelt has been determined as contributing factors to this unfortunate event. The Kinston Department of Fire & Rescue, North Carolina State Highway Patrol, and Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office assisted with this investigation. This case is currently under investigation, and we currently do not have any additional details to offer at this time.

Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to call the Kinston Police Department’s Tips Line at 252-939-4020 or Lenoir County Crime Stoppers at 252-523-4444. Calls to Crime Stoppers are confidential and anonymous, and the caller may be eligible for a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Information can also be sent through our KPD Tip App (available via Apple or Android) or by texting keyword KPDTIP to 847411, add a space, type in your tip information, and hit send.