– Press Release from Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow
On November 26, 2025, officers with the Henderson Police Department responded to a report of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle in the area of 1202 E. Andrews Avenue.
Upon arrival, officers determined that Phillip Warren, 56, of Henderson, had exited the vehicle he was operating and was subsequently struck by a white Mazda SUV driven by Benjamin Snelling Jr., 39, of Henderson, North Carolina. The initial investigation indicates a verbal confrontation between the two drivers may have occurred prior to the incident.
Following the collision, Mr. Snelling left the scene prior to law enforcement’s arrival. Mr. Warren was transported to a nearby medical facility for treatment of his injuries.
During the initial investigation, Mr. Snelling was located at his residence and charged with Hit and Run, Assault with a Deadly Weapon, and Expired Registration.
On December 11, 2025, the Henderson Police Department was notified by medical personnel that Mr. Warren had passed away. An autopsy was requested to determine the official cause of death, and the cause remains pending completion of the final report from the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Following consultation with the Vance County District Attorney’s Office, charges were upgraded to include Assault with a Deadly Weapon with Intent to Kill Inflicting Serious Injury. Additional charges may be considered pending the findings of the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
On December 15, 2025, Benjamin Snelling Jr. was located and arrested. He was remanded to the Vance County Detention Center, where he is currently being held without bond. Snelling is scheduled to appear in court on January 13, 2026.
The Henderson Police Department remains active and diligent in its investigation of this matter. Anyone with information related to this incident is requested to contact Henderson-Vance Crime Stoppers at 252-492-1925 or submit tips through the P3 Tips app. Information may also be provided directly to the Henderson Police Department at 252-438-4141 or through the department’s official Facebook page.
No further information is available at this time.