Law enforcement officers have identified the man found in a ditch in North Whiteville, and are examining the car thought to have struck and killed him.
The body, identified as that of Jean Emmaniste Samedy, was discovered by a passerby Friday morning. Groceries and personal items were found at the scene.
Samedy was reportedly a farmworker staying at the Holiday Motel on U.S. 701 in North Whiteville.
The woman who allegedly struck the man contacted a relative, who in turn called the sheriff’s office. The woman told investigators she thought she had struck something, but did not know what. No charges have been filed.
A resident of the Holiday Motel said the man was a Haitian farmworker who went to the Dollar General store Thursday night, but never returned. Workers from the Bladen County blueberry fields frequently stay at the motel during the harvest season.
The Highway Patrol is investigating. We’ll have more on CCN and WTXY as it becomes available.
