Wanchese man critically injured, dog killed in hit-and-run

A Manteo woman faces felony charges after police say she struck a bicyclist and his dog in Wanchese early Sunday, killing the dog and leaving the man critically injured.

N.C. State Highway Patrol Trooper Karl Libby was called to the scene on Harbor Drive right around 12:30 a.m., where 30-year-old Kenneth Lee Wells and his dog Bobo had been hit. A neighbor who heard commotion and thought his trash cans had been hit saw a Ford pickup fleeing the scene as soon as he turned on his porch lights, Libby said.

• To donate to the family’s GoFundMe and for more information, click here.

Wells, who had been riding his bicycle, was struck from behind when the truck crossed left of the center of the road. He went from the bike, onto the hood and was thrown off. His dog Bobo, a yellow Lab, was also hit and died at the scene.

Trooper Libby alerted the Dare County Sheriff’s Office to a possible vehicle involved based on evidence left at the scene, and the sheriff’s office located the vehicle, a 2018 Ford F-150, later that morning. Libby responded and arrested 45-year-old Corinna Wescott on a charge of felony hit-and-run, he said.

Wells suffered a broken back, broken ribs, a contusion to his lungs, a lacerated liver, a bruised spleen and other traumatic injuries. He was flown by helicopter to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, where he’s lucky to be alive, his family says.

Trooper Libby offered a thanks to the sheriff’s office for locating the vehicle involved.

Lee, the father of two young girls, will be out of work for the foreseeable future and the family needs help to fill in the gaps. A GoFundMe has been set up to donate to the family.

“This has been horrifying for his family. Family members have pitched in to help with the girls but are asking for help from our wonderful community to help with things while he’s healing and recuperating,” the GoFundMe says.

The girls are missing their dad as he’s being treated in the hospital, and the family is heartbroken over Bobo.

Bobo was killed and his owner seriously injured in a hit-and-run on Nov. 1. [Courtesy GoFundMe]

“Words cannot express the sadness we all feel about losing this sweet boy,” the fundraiser says.This story originally appeared on OBXToday.com. Read More local stories here.