A Columbus County sheriff’s deputy died Thursday morning after a tractor-trailer collided with his marked patrol vehicle in a highway work zone on U.S. 74/76 near Hallsboro, North Carolina.
Deputy Damien Draper Bost, 30, had been parked in the median with emergency lights activated, escorting and protecting a North Carolina Department of Transportation subcontractor crew performing lane striping operations in the westbound lanes when the crash occurred at approximately 10:51 a.m.
Bost had served with the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office for eight years and also worked as a school resource officer at South Columbus High School. Columbus County Sheriff Bill Rogers described him as a dedicated family man and a fixture in the community he policed. “He was all the time joking, happy,” Rogers said. “A family man. A great kid to be around, he enjoyed life.”
Bost is survived by his wife, two children, and parents.
The Columbus County Sheriff’s Office said its focus is on supporting Bost’s family. Anyone seeking to help can contact the office at 910-642-6551 or info@columbussheriff.com.
