Fatal pedestrian collision: Suspect charged with Second-Degree Murder
On April 8, 2024, at approximately 11:30 pm, members of the Kinston Police Department responded to a report of a pedestrian that had been struck by a motor vehicle near the 1900 block of Towerhill Rd. Kinston, NC. Upon arrival officers located the victim, Christopher Peterson, 50, of Kinston, who was suffering from life-threatening injuries and the suspected driver, Anthony Belcher. The preliminary investigation coupled with statements from Belcher, led officers to believe that the collision was a result of Belcher attempting to miss a deer, which led to him striking Peterson.
Peterson was transported to ECU Health Center where he later succumbed to his injuries. Due to the inconsistency of the statements taken and the evidence located at the scene, Officers continued to investigate this incident. During the course of the investigation, it was determined that Belcher was untruthful about his involvement in the incident and through the evidence gathering process it was determined that the driver was Andre Jones, 43, of Kinston. Warrants were obtained for Jones and he surrendered to law enforcement on April 8, 2024.
Jones was charged with 2nd Degree Murder, Felony Obstruction of Justice, and Failure to give info/Aid an Injured Person. He has been held in the Lenoir County Jail under a secured bond. Officers are continuing to investigate this case and additional charges for anyone who aided Jones will be forthcoming.
The Kinston Police Department makes it a priority to investigate all crimes perpetrated in our city. We will investigate such cases without compromise for crime and continue to seek assistance from the community we proudly serve. If anyone has information about this incident, please call the Kinston Police Department’s Tips Line at 252-939-4020, Lenoir County Crime Stoppers at 252-523-4444, or through the Tip411 App that is available on both Apple and Android devices. 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.