North Carolina Highway Patrol, North Carolina
End of Watch: Saturday, September 8, 2012
Age: 42
Tour of Duty: 12 years
Badge Number: C-145
Cause of Death: Vehicular assault
Date of Incident: September 8, 2012
Weapon Used: Automobile
Suspect Info: Sentenced to 26 years
Trooper Gene Demuth was struck and killed by the driver of a vehicle on U.S. 64, near the Pine Street overpass in Spring Hope, Nash County, while attempting to deploy spike strips during a pursuit at approximately 7:45 am.
The pursuit started when officers from the Raleigh Police Department attempted to stop the vehicle. The driver, who was wanted on multiple charges, including two counts of kidnapping, immediately fled at a high speed. Trooper Demuth was struck by the subject's vehicle as he attempted to deploy the spike strips. The man continued to flee but was taken into custody a short distance away after he crashed into a guardrail. The dash camera in a Nash County deputy sheriff's car shows that the suspect intentionally swerved to hit Trooper Demuth.
The 40-year-old suspect was admitted to Nash General Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Three days later, he was transferred to Central Prison in Raleigh, where he is being held under a two-million-dollar bond. In addition to charges stemming from the Raleigh incident, he has been charged with felony murder, driving while impaired, and speeding to elude arrest.
On January 22, 2014, the suspect was convicted of first-degree burglary, common law robbery, and two counts of first-degree kidnapping in Wake County and sentenced to 13.5 to 18.3 years in prison. A week later, he pled guilty to second-degree murder in Nash County and was sentenced to 21 to 26 years. He will spend a minimum of 35 years in prison.
Trooper Demuth was a United States Marine Corps veteran who had served with the North Carolina Highway Patrol for 12 years and was assigned to the Rocky Mount, Troop C District 1 Highway Patrol Office. He began his law enforcement career in 1994 as a deputy with the Wilson County Sheriff's Office until moving over to the Edgecombe County Sheriff's Office. Before joining the patrol, he was an officer with the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles Enforcement Section. Trooper Demuth is survived by his wife, 8-year-old son, mother, sister, brother, niece, and two nephews.
On September 8, 2016, the U.S. 64 bridge over Red Oak Road in Nash County was named in his honor.