Kill Devil Hills police arrest impaired driver who drove truck into ocean during Hurricane Dorian

Kill Devil Hills, N.C. — Kill Devil Hills police arrested and charged an impaired driver who drove a pickup truck onto the beach and into the Atlantic Ocean on Friday during Hurricane Dorian.

Kill Devil Hills Police reported on its Facebook page that officials, along with Kill Devil Hills Fire and Ocean Rescue, responded to a 911 call at around 2:30 p.m. on Friday at Arch Street in Kill Devil Hills. The call indicated a white pickup truck was driven onto the beach and into the ocean.

Officers arrived and found a passenger had escaped from the truck but the driver was still in the vehicle. The driver was rescued and identified as Troy J. Topash, 41, of Kill Devil Hills. It was determined Topash had been drinking.

Topash was arrested and charged since he and the passenger were out while the town was under curfew because of Dorian. Vehicles also aren’t allowed to be driven on the beach this time of year, officials said. The passenger wasn’t identified.

The truck was later secured and towed back to shore.