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North Carolina Highway Patrol trooper killed in crash north of Charlotte laid to rest

YADKIN COUNTY, NC — A North Carolina state trooper killed in a crash while chasing a suspect will be remembered in his hometown before being laid to rest.

A private funeral was held Friday in Wilkesboro for 24-year-old trooper Samuel Bullard.

Bullard died in a crash while chasing a driver trying to get away from a checkpoint along Interstate 77 in Yadkin County early Wednesday.

Hundreds of officers, and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, joined Bullard's family for the services.

Bullard had been a trooper for three years. Friends and family said it was his dream job.

Visitation was at the Walker Center at Wilkes Community College Friday morning.

A funeral followed, along with a procession that took his body to a private graveside service at Macedonia Baptist Church in Ronda.

Authorities have charged 22-year-old Dakota Kape Whitt.

WGHP-TV reports that during the chase, one trooper noticed he did not see a second patrol car behind him. When his attempt at contacting the other trooper failed, he turned around and found the patrol car engulfed in flames after it hit a bridge support.

“Our SHP family is devastated by the loss of Trooper Bullard. We are struggling to find words that describe the hurting we feel right now,” said Col. Glenn M. McNeill Jr., commander of the State Highway Patrol. “Trooper Bullard died as he was fulfilling his promise to the people of North Carolina, protecting and serving his community.”

It happened around 11:30 p.m. on I-77 southbound near NC-67. The area is about 70 miles north of Charlotte and due west of Winston-Salem.

Chris Knox with the NCSHP said Bullard was a three-year veteran assigned to Surry County.

Troopers said the incident started with a license check. A black BMW did not stop and troopers went after it. Trooper Bullard was involved in a crash at Mile Marker 80.

Whitt was taken into custody without incident around 3:30 a.m. Wednesday. He's charged with murder, felony fleeing to elude arrest in a motor vehicle and driving with a revoked license.

At a court appearance Wednesday, he apologized for what happened.

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