Whitesell was the Morrisville chief from 1998 - 2003.
"Chief Whitesell came to the Town of Morrisville with 16 years of experience with the Highway Patrol," Morrisville Police Chief Ira Jones said. "He brought a level of professionalism to the department, transitioning Morrisville from a small town department to a progressive, viable law enforcement agency in Wake County."
Authorities did not release any additional information regarding the crash.
