FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — A 23-year-old Cumberland County deputy fatally hit by a vehicle on Friday, Dec. 16 is being remembered by those in the community. 

What You Need To Know

  • Deputy Oscar Yovani Bolanos-Anavisca Jr., 23, was hit by a vehicle and killed early Friday morning

  • The deputy was responding to a robbery call and was returning from a canine track when he was hit

  • Police say the driver of the vehicle involved was impaired, facing charges

Oscar Yovani Bolanos-Anavisca Jr. was responding to a robbery call along Gillespie Street around 2:45 a.m. Deputies say Bolanos-Anavisca was returning from a canine track and walking when a vehicle ran a red light and hit him. He died from his injuries. 

Deputies identified the driver involved as Nicholas Terlizzi. They say Terlizzi left the scene, but was later caught. He now faces a string of charges, including driving while impaired and death by motor vehicle. Terlizzi is currently being held in prison.

During a Friday press conference, Bolanos-Anavisca’s family gathered inside of the room along with members of law enforcement. Cumberland County Sheriff Ennis Wright shared his emotions about losing one of his own.

“You know, we had a young officer out there doing his job — what he loved to do, what he wanted to do — and his life was taken away too quickly behind a senseless act.” “By someone getting behind the wheel after they’ve been drinking and decided to drive a vehicle,” Wright said.

The sheriff’s office says Bolanos-Anavisca was a dedicated, selfless member of the team.

He started his career with the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office in Nov. 2020. Before being assigned to the “C” platoon as unit C-12, Bolanos-Anavisca served as a school resource officer at Hope Mills Middle School.e of the room along with members of law enforcement. Cumberland County Sheriff Ennis Wright shared his emotions about losing one of his own.

"You know, we had a young officer out there doing his job - what he loved to do, what he wanted to do - and his life was taken away too quickly behind a senseless act. By someone getting behind the wheel after they’ve been drinking and decided to drive a vehicle," Wright said.

The sheriff’s office says Bolanos-Anavisca was a dedicated, selfless member of the team.

He started his career with the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office in November 2020. Before being assigned to the “C” platoon as unity C-12, Bolanos-Anavisca served as a school resource officer at Hope Mills Middle School.