Leland man pleads guilty in hit and run death of Wilmington construction worker

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A Leland man has pled guilty for his role in the death of a construction worker in New Hanover County.

On Wednesday, March 12, 30-year-old Dakota Quinn Knight of Leland pled guilty to Felony Death by Motor Vehicle and Felony Hit and Run Causing Death in New Hanover County Superior Court.

Senior Resident Superior Court Judge R. Kent Harrell sentenced the defendant to 51- 83 months in the Department of Adult Corrections.

In the early morning hours of April 11, 2024, Michelle Von Seggern, a 53-year-old mother of six, was working as a spotter on a road construction crew on Military Cutoff Road. She was in the lane of travel assisting a dump truck as it backed onto the roadway.

Knight was driving his Lincoln SUV northbound on Military Cutoff Road at 67 miles per hour when he struck Von Seggern, killing her instantly.

He failed to stop at the scene of the crash, and was apprehended shortly thereafter by law enforcement officers after abandoning his car behind a nearby shopping center.

A subsequent investigation by the Wilmington Police Department Traffic Unit revealed that Knight had been at two local bars in the hours before the crash and had consumed at least six alcoholic beverages. His blood alcohol level was .20 g/ml.

“This defendant’s decision to drive while impaired resulted in the tragic loss of life of a hardworking mom,” said District Attorney Jason Smith. “My office takes DWIs seriously and will continue to pursue justice for those who lose their life as a result of another person’s criminal actions.”