UPDATED: Wednesday, Jan. 11
A Southport woman was arrested last week in connection to a New Year’s Day hit-and-run of a bicyclist that sent a 14-year-old boy to the hospital with serious injuries.
Trooper Matt Johnson arrested Joselyn Corzine Fullam, 43, of Southport, on Jan. 4 at approximately 10:15 a.m. following the collaboration of three law enforcement agencies. Fullam was taken to the Brunswick County Detention Center and charged with felony hit-and-run inflicting serious injury, failure to render aid at a collision scene and failure to reduce speed.
Fullam made her first appearance in court on Jan. 4. She was placed under a $50,000 secured bond.
First Sgt. Matthew Young with the N.C. State Highway Patrol said that Trooper Johnson conducted a vehicle stop of a car not involved in the Jan. 1 incident that eventually led to Fullam’s arrest. Police also seized a 2015 Silver Acura passenger vehicle with significant damage.
First Sgt. Young stated the vehicle was located at Fullam’s residence. At approximately 1:15 a.m. on Jan. 1, the hit-and-
run collision occurred on N.C. 87 (River Road) near the Duke Energy Brunswick Nuclear Plant facility entrance.
While riding his bicycle with friends along the roadway, 14-year-old Paul Gangarossa was struck by a car. The driver of the vehicle briefly stopped at the scene and fled before troopers arrived. Gangarossa suffered a fractured skull and leg and was transported to Novant New Hanover Regional Medical Center where he has undergone surgeries. As of his family’s last social media update, he was moved out of ICU but remains in the hospital.
“We had some information that alcohol could’ve been a factor in it,” First Sgt. Young said. “We’re not ready to move forward on that because we were two or three days beyond the incident. We’ll see how it evolves. The troopers are going to keep on working on it and something may develop.”
First Sgt. Young stated that although an arrest has been made the investigation is continuing, and no further details will be released at this time.
The State Highway Patrol, Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office and Southport Police Department collaborated on the investigation, with the Southport department opening its facilities to the Highway Patrol and working alongside detectives with the sheriff’s office.
“Having partnerships like that mean the world and if the shoe was on the other foot they would’ve done the same for us,” said Coring. “Once we got (the injured victim, Gangarossa) taken care of we started saturation patrols (increased number of police officers patrolling a specific area) with the sheriff’s office and highway patrol which carried into Monday and Tuesday that week.
“It was really good teamwork and we’re just glad we were able to resolve everything the way we did. We’re really proud of the teamwork.”
A Southport woman has been arrested and charged with the Jan. 1 hit and run on River Road that left a teen bicyclist seriously injured.
Joselyn Corzine Fullam, 43, was taken into custody around 10:15 a.m Wednesday by State Trooper Matt Johnson.
Fullam was transported to the Brunswick County Detention Center and charged with felony hit and run inflicting serious injury, fail to render aid at a collision scene and failure to reduce speed.
Bond was set at $50,000 by a magistrate. A 2015 silver Acura passenger vehicle with significant damage was seized during the arrest, according to a Highway Patrol news release.
The news release adds, “Although an arrest has been made, this investigation will continue. No further details will be released at this time.”
The release states that collaborative efforts by the State Highway Patrol, Southport Police Department and Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office led to Wednesday’s arrest of the suspect.
Officers had been searching for the person responsible for the hit and run that left 14-year-old Paul Gangarossa with serious injuries after his bicycle was struck around 1:15 a.m. on New Year’s morning on N.C. 87 near the entrance to Duke Energy’s Brunswick Nuclear Plant north of Southport.
According to the Highway Patrol, the suspect pulled over along with other citizens at the scene but left before troopers arrived. Others were able to provide a description of the suspect and the vehicle she was driving.
Gangarossa was transported to Novant New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington with a skull fracture and leg fracture. He has undergone several surgeries at the hospital and was listed in stable condition earlier this week.
