05/06/07 — Hit-and-run case postponed

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Hit-and-run case postponed

By Lee Williams
Published in News on May 6, 2007 2:00 AM

The case of a Goldsboro police officer charged in a February hit-and-run accident in Johnston County has been postponed until later this month, court officials said.

Officer William Howard Cassady, 43, of Hilton Place, Pikeville, faces charges of hit-and-run and improper lane change for allegedly sideswiping a woman's car on I-95 on Feb. 9.

Cassady's case was originally scheduled to be heard on March 29, however, the case has been moved to May 24, officials said.

According to Highway Patrol officials, Cassady, a GPD crime scene technician, was traveling in a 2004 Ford pickup truck with a trailer attached to the rear when he sideswiped a 1997 Buick driven by Arieal Lee, 23, of Reid Circle, Selma.

Cassady was changing lanes at the time of the collision, which occurred about a mile from Four Oaks.

No one was hurt in the accident. However, a witness who allegedly saw the accident followed Cassady and took down the vehicle's description and license plate number.

A state trooper allegedly tracked down the vehicle at a home on Hilton Place in Pikeville and Cassady, who owned the truck.

Cassady was served with a warrant for the charges on Feb. 20.

The accident caused about $1,000 in damage to the Buick, the Ford and the trailer owned by Edna Smith Howell, who lived with Cassady, Highway Patrol officials said.