HAMPSTEAD, N.C. (WECT) – A Hampstead blueberry farmer alleges North Carolina Department of Transportation employees entered his property during work tied to the Hampstead Bypass project and buried debris, causing more than $800,000 in alleged damages and triggering civil and criminal cases.
Jeff Morris, who has lived in Hampstead for 40 years, said the allegations date back to 2022, with no resolution in sight. Morris described his land as “ground zero” of the Hampstead Bypass after selling several acres near U.S. 17 for the roughly $500 million project.
In an amended affidavit submitted in January as part of a tort claim filed against NCDOT, Morris alleges that in February 2022, NCDOT employees tore down and buried his shed on property he still owns off U.S. 17. He said the buried material included tires, lumber, pieces of a fence and insulation, among other items…