A North Carolina food delivery driver was hospitalized after deputies say a man followed her from an intersection and later attacked her with a baseball bat. The Onslow County Sheriff’s Office says the suspect remains at large as detectives continue working to identify him and the dark-colored Range Rover he was driving.
The attack happened during the early morning hours of Aug. 1 after Christen Phillips stopped at the intersection of Western Boulevard and Gum Branch Road. According to investigators, the vehicle in front of her did not move when the light turned green, prompting Phillips to briefly honk her horn.
Deputies say the vehicle then moved out of her way but began following her as she continued toward a food delivery in the Shamrock Drive area. After Phillips completed the delivery and tried to return to her vehicle, the suspect approached and struck her in the head with a baseball bat before fleeing.
Phillips was able to get herself to Onslow Memorial Hospital, where deputies were notified and immediately began investigating. Authorities say the suspect is believed to be a light-skinned Black or Hispanic man in his late 30s to early 40s, around 6 feet tall, with short hair and no facial hair.
Deputies Say Suspect Followed Her After She Honked
The sheriff’s office says the investigation has evolved as detectives have worked to corroborate the information Phillips initially provided. A person who was once believed to be involved has since been ruled out as a suspect.
Investigators now say the suspect was driving a dark-colored Range Rover with silver or gray alloy wheels. Authorities are asking anyone who saw anything suspicious in the Western Boulevard and Gum Branch Road area and in Richlands to come forward.
The sheriff’s office is also asking residents and businesses to review any available video that could help investigators. Tips can be submitted through the agency’s app, and Crime Stoppers is offering up to $5,000 for information that proves valuable to the investigation.
Detectives Continue Searching for Video and Other Evidence
The sheriff’s office emphasized that active investigations can change as new evidence is collected. Officials said details are released carefully so detectives do not compromise the case or distribute information that later turns out to be inaccurate.
Anyone with surveillance footage, dash camera video, or other evidence is being encouraged to submit it through the North Carolina Evidence Submission Portal. Even information that may seem minor could help investigators narrow down the suspect’s movements.
Sheriff Chris Thomas also addressed the case during a press conference on Aug. 3. The department says additional updates will be released when the investigation allows.
Comments Question Whether Flock Cameras Can Help Find the Suspect
Many commenters immediately focused on the area’s license plate-reader systems, questioning why the technology had not already helped identify the Range Rover. One person asked, “Where’s your Flock cameras at,” while another wondered how a relatively distinctive vehicle could seemingly avoid being located if plate-reader cameras are supposed to monitor traffic throughout the area.
Others questioned whether nearby homes or businesses captured the vehicle on traditional surveillance cameras. Several commenters specifically asked about Ring, Blink, or Nest footage, while one person pointed to a camera near Western Extension and Gum Branch Road that they believed could have captured traffic coming through the area.
The discussion also reflected the broader debate surrounding automated license plate readers. Some commenters argued that this is exactly the type of serious case the technology should be useful for, while others remained skeptical of the cameras themselves and said they would rather see investigators solve the case without systems they view as invasive. Several others simply urged anyone who recognizes the suspect or vehicle to turn him in so he can be taken off the streets.