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KENANSVILLE — The North Carolina Department of Transportation dedicated a bridge along N.C. 24 in Duplin County to Master Trooper Benjamin “Ben” Derek Wallace last Tuesday following a special ceremony at the Ed Emory Auditorium in Kenansville. Friends and family joined members of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol in remembering and celebrating his life.
The Northeast Cape Fear River bridge along N.C. 24 will now be known as the Trooper Ben D Wallace Bridge in recognition of the fallen Duplin County trooper’s service and sacrifice.
According to Colonel Freddy Johnson Jr. with the NCSHP, the bridge now represents more than just concrete and steel. “His sacrifice reminds us that freedom and safety come at a cost often accepted by the brave few who wear the badge.”
Wallace served his community as a trooper for over a decade. On Nov. 2, 2018, he suffered a fatal heart attack after assisting fellow officers at the scene of an accident with injuries. He was 45-years-old.
“I had the distinct privilege of knowing and serving alongside Trooper Ben Wallace… When our patrol family lost him, we grieved not as colleagues, but as family,” shared Lieutenant Bryan Wilson. He explained that Trooper Kevin Connor had been killed in the line of duty in Columbus County 16 days prior to the death of Wallace, making late 2018 one of the most challenging periods in the agency’s history. “Nothing could have prepared us for the depth of this loss.”
First Sergeant Jason Casteen added that the loss of Wallace left a void that changed District Four of the NC State Highway Patrol forever.
“We’re gathered today not just to remember Ben, but to honor the memory of those who have given their life in service to our community and the values that we hold dear. We — all of us — can honor his memory by living up to the ideals he fought for by embracing the principles he defended and by striving to make a positive impact on our community, just as Ben did.”
Casteen thanked Johnson for his commitment to ensuring each fallen member of the Highway Patrol is honored, Master Trooper Paul Howard Jr. for his efforts toward ensuring Wallace received the recognition he deserved, and the NCDOT for their continuous support.
“I would also like to thank my B4 team who are here today, every one of you — the whole district’s here. Your attendance today is undoubtedly a tribute to Ben and the lasting legacy he’s left behind.”
Howard in turn expressed his thanks to Casteen, the NCDOT, and the members of law enforcement who’d gathered to honor Wallace.
“We come together for the dedication and celebration of our friend Ben, but not to me — he was not Ben, he was Benji,” stated Howard. “I met Benji when we were about 14 years old at Teachey’s Grocery Store in Pink Hill, and definitely had a friendship that was to the end.”
Howard shared fond memories of Wallace with those gathered, emphasizing the fallen trooper’s selflessness. “If I called, he always did what he could to help. He was a steady force in Duplin.”
Howard, along with others intent on keeping Wallace’s love for the Highway Patrol in Duplin County alive, started the Master Trooper Bejamin Derek Wallace Foundation in 2022. The nonprofit provides scholarships to high school students in Duplin County interested in continuing their studies in criminal justice or vocational foundation and provides aid to the families of troopers throughout the state when the need arises.
“Our hope is that the bridge sign will be a constant reminder of Ben and help keep his memory alive,” explained Howard. “Ben will always be an important part of our lives, and we’re proud to be able to honor him today. God bless us all and the difference we make as members of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.”
