Police provide description of suspect vehicle in deadly hit and run on Carolina Beach Road

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - Wilmington police are still searching for the vehicle suspected of involvement in a hit and run on Carolina Beach Road that injured one and killed another on Sunday, Nov. 12.

Police were called to the area near the intersection of Carolina Beach Road and Marion Drive at 6:20 p.m. on Sunday.

The Wilmington Police Department on Wednesday said that the suspect vehicle is a gray 2003-2007 Toyota Highlander that will likely have damage to the front left side and broken headlight lenses.

Lt. Greg Willet with WPD says they were able to figure out what kind of car to look for by collecting various car parts from the crime scene, which helped them trace down a color, make and model.

“We get paid to put the puzzle together. The only way we can put that puzzle together is to get the pieces. And a lot of times, folks out there in the public have the pieces to that puzzle,” said Willet.

The Wilmington Police Department previously said that the men had stab wounds; a WPD representative told WECT that the 911 caller was an off-duty paramedic who said that he thought one of the men had a stab wound because the wound resembled a slash and there were two knives on the ground.

The WPD said Monday afternoon that the investigation indicates that the two men were crossing the road when they were hit by an SUV.

Per the WPD, 54-year-old Guy Wescott succumbed to his injuries on the scene, and his cause of death is under investigation and pending an autopsy. Police said Monday afternoon that the man who was hospitalized is expected to make a full recovery.

Willet says one of the most important things to take away from this accident is that people should always be cautious of their surroundings.

“Be aware of traffic and what’s going on. There are drunk drivers out there. There are people out there who don’t need to be behind the wheel of a car, and they don’t always stay on the road,” Willet said.

Production manager Gabe Gentile works at a nearby business; he said he fears what could have happened had the customer been around.

“This is just too much, I mean we got customers coming in,” he said. “We’ve seen some stuff, I’ve seen people running in the back with guns out, I mean there was another shooting a couple of months ago. So, it’s just crazy out here.”

“This is an ongoing investigation and appears to be an isolated incident. Anyone with information is asked to call the WPD at (910) 343-3609 or by using the Tip 411 app,” the WPD states.

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