SUV knocks officer over the hood of his squad car on coastal bridge, NC police say

A police officer was sent flying across a bridge when he was hit by a passing SUV, according to investigators on the North Carolina coast.

The incident happened around 9:30 p.m. Saturday, July 4, at Oak Island, and the SUV driver is accused of being impaired, the Oak Island Police Department said in a July 5 news release.

“Officer Raymond Holleman ... stopped to investigate multiple vehicles which were parked along the G.V. Barbee Bridge (NC 133). These vehicles were illegally parked to watch the fireworks display from the city of Southport, with several of them obstructing portions of the travel lane,” police said.

“Despite activating the emergency blue lights and ensuring adequate space to safely conduct the stop, as he was exiting his patrol car, Officer Holleman was struck by a Ford Bronco. ... The impact knocked him approximately 15 feet forward and to the right of the vehicle.”

The driver of the SUV stopped, and Holleman was able to “regain his footing” and call for help, officials said.

He was taken to a hospital for treated and released the next morning, police said.

The SUV driver has been identified as Jennifer Bradshaw of Southport, and she has been charged with:

• Felonious serious injury by vehicle
• Driving while impaired (DWI)
• Reckless driving to endanger
• Failure to move over/injury to person
• Expired vehicle registration
• Expired inspection

Oak Island is about a 160-mile drive southeast from downtown Raleigh.