Durham police corporal fired after fatal crash kills longtime pastor

A Durham police corporal was terminated after being charged in a crash that resulted in the death of longtime pastor Justin Heath, WTVD reported. The incident occurred on October 18 at the intersection of N.C. Highway 210 and Old Stage Road in Harnett County.

According to the Harnett County Sheriff's Office, the corporal, Joseph King, ran a red light while driving a Honda passenger car and struck a church van. The van overturned off the roadway, trapping multiple passengers inside. Pastor Heath, 67, who was also a former Wayne County Sheriff’s Office deputy, died in the crash.

Other passengers in the church van were taken to WakeMed with varying injuries. King was charged on October 19 with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle. The Durham Police Department confirmed King had been employed since July 2010 and was assigned to the Uniform Patrol Bureau.

Chief Stephanie Mardis of the Durham Police Department expressed condolences to the family of Pastor Heath and those injured. She noted that the North Carolina State Highway Patrol is leading the investigation, while the department is conducting an internal review. Mardis emphasized that officers are held to high standards and any violations will be addressed according to policy and law.