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LEWISTON WOODVILLE – One person is dead and local law enforcement agencies are on the lookout for a suspect vehicle after shots were fired along an isolated stretch of NC 11 in Bertie County late this afternoon (Thursday).

Bertie Sheriff John Holley told the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald that the incident occurred around 4:15 p.m. approximately 1.5 miles north of the J.J. “Monk” Harrington bridge over the Roanoke River.

The name of the deceased was not released pending notification of next of kin.

“It’s a drive-by shooting,” Holley said, who was still at the scene at 6:30 p.m. “We have another motorist who said they witnessed shots being fired from one vehicle in the direction of another vehicle.”

Holley added that both vehicles were traveling north on NC 11 in the direction of Lewiston Woodville.

“The victim’s vehicle left the roadway, crossed a ditch, and overturned in a cotton field,” Holley said.

The driver of that vehicle, Holley said, died at the scene, apparently of gunshot wounds.

“The eyewitness reported that the shots were fired from a small, white truck – possibly an extended cab or quad cab – with Florida [license] plates,” Holley stated, adding that law enforcement agencies in neighboring counties were alerted to that vehicle description.

Holley said the North Carolina SBI was en route to the scene to assist the Bertie Sheriff’s Office with the investigation.

Meanwhile, NC 11 is closed to thru traffic between its intersection with NC 903 in Martin County and its intersection with NC 308 at Lewiston Woodville.

Holley said he expects NC 11 to remain closed for a “few more hours while we investigate the scene.”

The News-Herald will have more information as it is made available.