‘Drunk’ and unlicensed juvenile driver crashes into police car, NC cops say
A teen’s Friday night quickly went from bad to worse after a car crash in downtown Morganton, according to investigators in North Carolina.
It happened just after 11 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12, and the other vehicle was a patrol car, Morganton police said in a Dec. 13 news release.
“The 17-year-old driver ran a red light and crashed into a Morganton Public Safety Officer, who was traveling through the intersection,” police said.
“A subsequent investigation determined the juvenile driver was operating the vehicle under the influence of alcohol.”
The teen and the officer were not injured in the crash, officials said.
Investigators charged the teen with:
- No operator’s license
- Driving after consuming while under the age of 21
- Fictitious registration plate
- Open container after consuming
- Driving while impaired
- Consumption of beer/wine while underage
- Failure to stop for a steady red light
- No insurance
“The juvenile was taken before a Burke County Magistrate, who found probable cause for the arrest. The juvenile was subsequently transported to the Alexander Juvenile Detention Center in Taylorsville,” police said.
Morganton is about a 75-mile drive northwest from Charlotte.
This story was originally published December 15, 2025 at 5:53 AM with the headline "‘Drunk’ and unlicensed juvenile driver crashes into police car, NC cops say."