A Charlotte man remains hospitalized after allegedly shooting at multiple Amazon delivery vans and causing a series of traffic collisions in Lenoir County on Sunday. Authorities identified the suspect as 34-year-old Lonneil Mason, who is in critical but stable condition at ECU Health Medical Center following a head-on collision.
According to the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office, Mason was driving a 2011 white BMW northbound in the southbound lane of N.C. 11 when he struck three vehicles. The first vehicle sustained damage to its mirror, while the second, an SUV, was hit head-on. The third vehicle, a truck hauling mowers on a trailer, was also struck. No injuries were reported in the first and third collisions, but two female occupants in the SUV sustained critical injuries and were transported to ECU Health in Greenville for treatment. One of them was airlifted from UNC Lenoir Health in Kinston to Greenville. Their names have not been released pending family notification.
Investigators reported that prior to the collisions, Mason fired shots at three Amazon vans between 10:15 and 10:30 a.m. Two of the shootings occurred on Felix Harvey Parkway and one on N.C. 11 north of the parkway. The first shooting involved a female-driven van, where a bullet from a .45 caliber pistol struck the passenger door. The second van, also driven by a female, was hit by a bullet from an AR-15 pistol that traveled through the back of the van and several packages. The third shooting targeted the driver’s side of a van operated by a male. None of the Amazon drivers were injured.
Law enforcement agencies, including the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office, State Highway Patrol, and Grifton Police Department, responded to the scene along with emergency personnel from Lenoir County Emergency Services, Hugo Volunteer Fire Department, and Sand Hill Volunteer Fire Department. ECU Health Police also assisted in the investigation.
Following the collisions, Mason was airlifted to Greenville for treatment. Deputies seized a .45 caliber pistol and an AR-15 pistol from his vehicle. Cocaine and Fentanyl were also found in his car and on his person.
Authorities are in the process of obtaining multiple warrants against Mason, including three counts of attempted first-degree murder, three counts of shooting into occupied property, possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession with intent to sell or deliver a Schedule I controlled substance. Additional charges may be pending.
Mason has a prior criminal history, having served time in prison from July 2009 to December 2020 following a conviction for second-degree murder and breaking and entering related to a 2007 crime. He was also charged in April 2007 with discharging a weapon into occupied property and armed terror, though those charges were later dropped.
The investigation remains ongoing.
