Retired state trooper charged in Christmas Eve shooting

Elizabethtown, N.C. — A retired North Carolina State Highway Patrol trooper faces felony charges stemming from a Dec. 24 dispute in which he allegedly shot a father and son who were hunting in Bladen County, prosecutors said Friday.

Herbert Paul Weissinger, 55, was charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury.

Thomas David Daughety Jr., 42, of Fayetteville, was shot in the stomach and arm, and his father Thomas David Daughety Sr., 64, of Parkton, was shot in the hand.

Bladen County sheriff's Capt. Rodney Hester said Weissinger confronted the pair about trespassing on his father-in-law's land, near U.S. Highway 701 and Beards Chapel Loop Road in Elizabethtown, and that there was a "physical altercation" before the gunfire.

In an interview with WRAL News, Thomas Daughety Sr. said he and his son had been hunting on state land that bordered the private property and that they never wandered onto Weissinger's father-in-law's land.

A witness said the pair had been running dogs when Weissinger approached them in an SUV, got out shouting obscenities and pulled a handgun during the dispute.

Bladen County District Attorney Jon David said in a statement Friday that the case will likely be presented to the grand jury next month.

44 Comments

WRAL.com welcomes your comments on this story. All comments are moderated prior to publication based on our posting guidelines. Please review them prior to posting and if your message is not approved.

VIEW ALL 44 COMMENTS

This story is closed for comments. Comments on WRAL.com news stories are accepted and moderated between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Latest Comments

All the 'witnesses' where other hunters down there running dogs with these two deadbeats. Probably related, friends, or belonging to the same hunting club. Totally unbaised observations on their part.....

hawkdaddy138
January 17, 2013 9:02 a.m.

Another George Zimmerman story. Ex-cop/wannabee cop intervenes with suspected suspect/suspects without authority. This time, suspects survive shooting and can tell their own version.

trueblue0100
January 15, 2013 2:11 p.m.

I don't understand all the talk about getting all the facts and two sides to a story. They finally got enough of both sides and made the arrest. Bottom line is this; he approached two people that were not on his or anybody else's property, they were on a public, state maintained road in NC Gamelands, the victims were unarmed and the shooter shot them both after some type of altercation that the shooter initiated. That's illegal, anyway you say it.

HeelHater
January 14, 2013 3:34 p.m.

Sounds like another case of a cops badge getting the best of him. ( retired or not ) They all think they can do what ever they want like they're above the law,... so sad.

feistyredhead2001

Another foolish statement.

stormtrooper76
January 11, 2013 7:00 p.m.

Or the SHP that KILLED a lady sitting at a stop light because he was speeding to catch a speeder on the highway. The best part is it turned out to be "HER" fault. The G.O.B.N. is in session!!!!!

cantbtaught

If you're talking about the accident that happened in the triad area, your facts are inaccurate. She wasnt sitting at the light. She pulled out into the intersection in front of the trooper who was attempting to catch a speeder. That changes everything.

Still a very tragic event though.

stormtrooper76
January 11, 2013 6:59 p.m.