CHARLOTTE, N.C. — An officer who died in a crash will have a bridge named in her honor less than a year after she passed away.
The Charlotte City Council unanimously approved a resolution on Monday to name the Interstate 85 bridge that intersects with W.T. Harris Blvd to the Mia Goodwin Memorial Bridge. The bridge is named in honor of Mia Goodwin, a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officer who died in a crash in December.
Dozens of CMPD officers attended the council meeting to show their appreciation for Goodwin. Each council member took the time to address the officers and thank them for their work.
Goodwin died on Dec. 22, 2021, when she and three fellow officers were struck by a truck on Interstate 85. CMPD confirmed Goodwin is the first female CMPD officer to be killed in the line of duty.
The officer had just returned from maternity leave days before the fatal crash after giving birth to her third child. Goodwin additionally had two other children with her husband who she is survived by.
Goodwin and three other officers were assisting the North Carolina State Highway Patrol with closing a portion of the interstate in northeast Charlotte near West WT Harris Boulevard. These officers had relieved earlier officers who had closed the highway after a truck carrying grain spilled a sticky substance on the roadway the night before.
Police said Daniel Morgan, 50, was operating a tractor-trailer and failed to move left to a single open lane of travel on I-85 South. Morgan then failed to reduce speed and struck four Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department vehicles, a semi-truck, and Officer Goodwin, police report.
Goodwin died from her injuries at the scene while the other officers were transported for treatment. All three were released from the hospital later Wednesday morning.
Morgan was charged with involuntary manslaughter, misdemeanor death by vehicle, failure to reduce speed, and felony failure to move over for stopped emergency vehicles following the crash.
Morgan posted bond after his arrest and was released from jail. His next court date in this case is scheduled for Oct. 27.
Goodwin worked for the department for six years and is deeply missed by those she worked around.