A North Carolina state trooper and former HBCU football player was killed Sunday in a wrong-way crash on the Durham Freeway, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. Master Trooper Steven Perry, 30, was on duty when his Dodge Charger was struck head-on by a vehicle traveling the wrong direction on N.C. Highway 147 near Swift Avenue in Durham.
Authorities identified the other driver as Melshawn Moore, 39, of Kinston. Officials said Moore was driving southbound in the northbound lanes before the collision.
Both Perry and Moore died in the crash.
The State Highway Patrol said impairment may have contributed to the wrong-way crash. An investigation remains ongoing.
“Trooper Perry was a member of the 148th Basic Patrol School and has served Durham County throughout his nearly 7-year career,” the Highway Patrol posted on Facebook. “During this difficult time, our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and fellow troopers who had the privilege of serving alongside him. We ask that you keep the entirety of his family and our Patrol Family in your thoughts.”
North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein also issued a statement following the tragedy.
“Master Trooper Steven Perry dedicated his career to keeping people in Durham County safe,” Stein wrote. “Please join me in keeping his loved ones and the law enforcement community in our thoughts and prayers. May his memory be a blessing.”
From NCCU Offensive Line to Public Service
Before he put on a state trooper’s uniform, Perry anchored the offensive line at North Carolina Central University.
A Durham native and Riverside High School graduate, Perry joined NCCU in 2015 and spent three seasons with the HBCU football program from 2015 to 2017. Listed at 5-foot-11 (later 6-foot-0) and approximately 270 pounds, he played center and offensive line, carving out a reputation for toughness and patience.
Perry waited behind veteran lineman Carl Jones for two seasons before earning his opportunity. When his moment came in the spring of 2017, coaches said he surprised them with his command of the position and his leadership on a young offensive line.
“He’s been around here three years waiting behind Carl Jones,” then-head coach Jerry Mack said at the time. “I’m looking forward to him taking control of that center spot.”
That leadership extended beyond the field. Perry had deep ties to the program. His father, James Perry, previously served as the Eagles’ strength and conditioning coach, further rooting the family in NCCU’s football culture.
On Sunday, NCCU Athletics publicly mourned Perry’s passing.
“With heavy hearts, North Carolina Central University remembers former football student-athlete Steven Perry,” the athletic department posted on social media. “Sending strength, comfort, and our sincere condolences to Trooper Perry’s family and friends.”
A Life of Service
For many HBCU athletes, the sport they play becomes the foundation for leadership, discipline, and service beyond the game. Perry’s journey reflected that path. After his playing career, he returned to serve the same community where he grew up and played college football.
He spent nearly seven years with the State Highway Patrol, assigned to Durham County — the same city that shaped him as both a student-athlete and a public servant.
Now, that community is mourning one of its own.
As investigators continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the crash, tributes from law enforcement, state leaders, and his alma mater paint a picture of a patient man who stepped into leadership and carried that same commitment from the offensive line to the front lines of public safety.
For NCCU and the HBCU football family as a whole, Steven Perry’s legacy stretches beyond the field — defined not just by the snaps he took at center, but by the service he gave to his hometown.