Autopsy: Soldier who died on highway was drunk

Army Sgt. Jason Lightfoot, 30, died on the shoulder of All American Freeway on April 24. Police initially said they believed that Lightfoot  was walking on the northbound shoulder toward Fort Bragg and was hit by a Jeep driven by a female acquaintance.

After questioning the driver and reconstructing the incident, however, investigators determined Lightfoot's death was an accident.

Lightfoot and the woman were arguing in the vehicle when she pulled off the highway near the Cliffdale Road exit and ordered Lightfoot to get out, investigators said. As the woman began to drive off, Lightfoot jumped onto the side of the Jeep, but he lost his grip, rolled off the vehicle and fell to the pavement, hitting his head, police said.

An autopsy determined that Lightfoot's blood-alcohol content was 0.15, or almost twice the level North Carolina considers as intoxicated for driving. The cause of death was listed as blunt force trauma to the head, with alcohol intoxication as a contributing factor, according to the autopsy report.