Video shows the fatal crash of prison officer Emmanuel Bader in Asheville

On November 28, 2024By Pranco

ASHEVILLE – A massive rock wall shattered into pieces, sending debris flying over a parking lot and onto the walkway of a Buncombe County dental office on Nov. 12, after a vehicle hit the barrier at high speed.

The collision also claimed the life of a young detention officer who worked for the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office.

A video obtained by the Citizen Times and a collision report from the North Carolina State Highway Patrol reveal more details about that fatal crash.

Emmanuel Joseph Bader, 23, a corrections officer at the Buncombe County Detention Facility, was driving 100 miles per hour on New Stock Road just before 1 a.m., the report said. That’s about 100 km/h, about the posted speed limit of 35.

There was another officer in the car with him, identified as passenger Katelyn Massey, 22, according to the crash report.

While driving west on the road outside Weaverville, Bader’s 2020 Ford crossed the center line and ran off the road to the left, according to the report.

Vehicle struck a rock barrier in the dental office parking lot

Surveillance images show the blue car quickly approaching a bend in the road. As he passes the bend, the red brake light is seen behind the car before he hits his head on a rock barrier of a dental practice parking lot. Pieces of stone and a plume of dust fly into the air.

The vehicle carrying Bader and Massey struck the wall at about 90 miles per hour, the report said.

The car then overturned and drove 10 meters further after the collision. It came to a stop on the roadway. There is no evidence of alcohol or drug abuse, the report said.

According to his death certificate, Bader died immediately from multiple blunt force injuries. The other detention officer, Massey, was taken to Mission Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Neighborhoods are concerned about speeding cars near ‘blind bend’

When Pamela Putnam, the dental office’s owner and doctor, woke up on November 12, she saw the accident on her security cameras.

“It looked like a bomb exploded. It sent a debris field probably 500 feet away,” Putnam said.

“When we got to the office at 8 a.m., we couldn’t see any patients because there was debris all over my parking lot that they hadn’t cleaned up.”

Putnam expressed her condolences to the family who had lost a loved one. She also expressed concern about the increase in traffic along that road, the number of cars she sees speeding on that road and the “blind curve” near her business.

The sign in front of her dental office has been knocked over several times by passing cars, she said.

“I know there are a lot of neighbors, who are also my patients, who are very concerned,” Putnam said.

“I was told nothing will be done unless there is a fatality,” she said. “And unfortunately there was also a fatal accident.”

The ‘funny’ cop lost everything in Helene before losing his life in an accident

Numerous comments on Bader’s online obituary describe a funny, daring and loving young man who was quick with a joke. The 23-year-old, known to loved ones as “Manny,” recently lost “everything” during Tropical Storm Helene, according to his obituary.

Despite the losses, “his simple comments were: ‘it’s just stuff, none of this matters,'” the page reads.

One comment said Bader, as a former military man, “made a big difference in the world,” another said.

“There are no words to describe the pain of losing Manny, our son, our brother, our grandson, our nephew, our cousin, our best friend,” his obituary said.

“He left each of us a hole in our hearts, but we rejoice in our faithful God’s assurance of our salvation in Christ and Manny’s redeemed soul to eternal life. Our loss is heaven’s gain. We will keep you miss Manny every day until we’re together again.”

The Citizen Times has attempted to reach Bader’s family.

Ryley Ober is the Public Safety Reporter for Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. She is a graduate of Indiana University and was the 2022 Citizen Times Summer News Reporting Intern. Email her at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @ryleyober