Catawba County deputy fired, charged with DWI after hit-and-run crash

HICKORY, N.C. — A Catawba County deputy was charged with DWI after a hit-and-run crash Friday on U.S. 321 in Hickory.

According to a Hickory police accident report, 33-year-old Eric Dixon Walker was driving through the intersection of U.S. 321 NW and Seventh Avenue NW around 2:30 a.m. when he ran a red light, collided with a vehicle and kept driving.

No one was hurt.

Walker was arrested 45 minutes later in Granite Falls without incident, according to an arrest report.

Catawba County Sheriff Don Brown said Walker worked as an officer at the Catawba County Detention Center and has been fired.

Walker has been charged with driving while impaired, hit and run property damage and carrying a concealed weapon while consuming alcohol. Brown said that it was Walker’s personal weapon and not a department-issued one.

No law enforcement vehicles were involved in the traffic accident, according to the department.

Walker is the second Catawba County deputy to be charged with DWI in 2021. Deputy Michael T. Watkins was charged June 3 after a single-vehicle wreck. Watkins was reportedly driving a patrol vehicle but was not on duty.

Watkins was also fired from his position.

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HS principal charged with DWI after colliding with minivan, pedestrian, building in Hickory HS principal charged with DWI after colliding with minivan, pedestrian, building in Hickory

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