MARS HILL – The Madison County and Yancey County communities are mourning the loss of Mike Boone, who was struck and killed by a driver just two days after retiring following 32 years in law enforcement.
Boone, who retired as chief of Marshall Police Department on Thursday after serving 10 years as chief, was struck and killed by a driver driving on the wrong side of Interstate 26 near Exit 11 for Mars Hill just before 11 p.m. Aug. 2, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol confirmed.
Boone was leaving Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College’s Enka campus, where he was cross-sworn and still worked part time as a law enforcement officer, and heading to his home in Yancey County, where he lives with his wife, Jennifer.
According to Sgt. P.J. Morgan with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, a driver operating a 2019 Jaguar, which is being investigated as a report of a stolen vehicle by the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, was traveling eastbound in the westbound lane of I-26 when it collided head-on with Boone, who was driving his Ford pickup truck.
The driver of the 2019 Jaguar, whose identification has not been released, also died.
“After the initial impact, both vehicles were consumed in fire for about five to 10 minutes, prior to the fire department getting on the scene and controlling the fire,” Morgan said.
As for identifying the driver of the Jaguar, “We’re waiting on the medical examiners, who are going to have to do a forensic examination on him,” Morgan said, adding that the process typically takes anywhere from one to two weeks.
Morgan said while the 2019 Jaguar was not reported stolen at the time, the State Highway Patrol made contact with the owner who said he was out of state and wasn’t aware of anyone having possession of it at the time.
Morgan said he sent two State Highway Patrol Troopers to the residence listed in connection with the 2019 Jaguar, and ultimately instructed Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office to investigate a breaking and entering and a report of a stolen vehicle in connection with the 2019 Jaguar.
Boone leaves behind his wife, Jennifer; daughter, Morganne; and granddaughter, Mikenlee.
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This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Retired Marshall police chief Mike Boone killed in I-26 crash
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