NC Supreme Court strikes down cellphone law in Chapel Hill

KATELYN FERRAL, Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Chapel Hill's law banning cellphone use while driving has been struck down by the North Carolina Supreme Court.

The justices' decision Thursday overturned an earlier Court of Appeals ruling. The court unanimously agreed that state law pre-empted the town's ability to regulate highways and roads and prohibited the town's enforcement of the cellphone ban.

The court also struck down a separate town ordinance regulating towing.

George King runs a towing business in Chapel Hill and sued the town challenging both laws. King said he could not obey the town's towing laws, which requires that a tower notify police within 15 minutes of the tow without breaking its cellphone ordinance banning the use of cellphones while driving.

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