Driver dies trying to dodge dead coyote in the highway, NC Highway Patrol says

A driver facing the tough choice of driving over or around a dead coyote was killed when he slammed into a tree, according to the North Carolina Highway Patrol.

The crash happened just before 7 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 13, on N.C. 87, near Riegelwood in Columbus County.

Investigators initially believed 55-year-old Neil William Perry crashed after hitting the coyote, but further investigation revealed the predator was already dead, highway patrol officials say.

“It appears the driver swerved to keep from hitting the coyote, lost control, went across the center lane, struck a ditch on the left side of the roadway and hit a tree,” the highway patrol told McClatchy News.

The BMW sedan was found 10 feet from the highway, officials said.

Perry died at the scene, and the coyote was located not far away, officials said. Perry lived in Wilmington.

The crash happened in a largely rural area where coyotes roam freely, posing a danger to motorists, experts say.

Coyotes resemble red wolves and reach 4 feet in length and stand 2 feet tall at the shoulder, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission reports. They typically try to avoid humans, experts say.

Riegelwood is about a 120-mile drive south from Raleigh.

This story was originally published November 14, 2025 at 1:08 PM with the headline "Driver dies trying to dodge dead coyote in the highway, NC Highway Patrol says."