Ben Williamson
Weekend Anchor, Reporter
Charlotte, NC
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Ben is an Emmy nominated reporter that joined WBTV in July of 2016 as an anchor and reporter after working for our sister station in Savannah, GA.
He was born and raised just outside of Atlanta and most of his family still resides in Georgia. Ben attended the University of Georgia (Go Dawgs!) where he graduated with two degrees; one in Broadcast Journalism and the other in Communication Studies.
Shortly after graduation, Ben headed even farther south to the charming city of Savannah to work as an anchor and reporter for WTOC. He worked every shift during his 3 and half years whether it was getting up at 1:30 in the morning or getting home at midnight.
At WTOC, Ben won awards for his work in breaking news coverage and best general reporting. Although most of his time in Savannah was spent covering crime, courts, and city government, he loves the stories that make you smile. One of his favorite stories he ever covered was helping a 106-year-old woman check things off her bucket-list. One of those, riding in a hot-air balloon and riding a Harley.
When he’s not working, Ben loves playing sports, working out, hanging out with friends, being a beach bum, and spending time with his family. He LOVES the Georgia Bulldogs. Seriously, it is an obsession. He bleeds RED and BLACK.
Updated: Jun. 28, 2019 at 3:56 PM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
100-year-old WWII veteran, Sidney Walton, spent the week in North Carolina as a part of his ‘No Regrets’ tour.
Updated: Jun. 17, 2019 at 9:06 PM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
Monday marks 4 years since a young man opened fire at Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston killing 9 parishioners that were at a bible study.
Updated: Jun. 14, 2019 at 7:03 PM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
The committee tasked with studying the high number of cases of rare eye cancer in the Huntersville area met Friday morning to update the community on what is happening in that process.
Updated: Jun. 13, 2019 at 3:30 PM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
Jahzion Wilson was on found guilty for the robbery and murder of Zachary Finch in June 2017.
Updated: Jun. 6, 2019 at 3:14 PM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
On June 17th, a new Community Shelter will open in Union County that will serve those struggling families and individuals.
Updated: Jun. 3, 2019 at 7:08 PM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
The trial for the teen accused of shooting and killing a 21-year-old during an attempted robbery in Charlotte in 2017 began Monday.
Updated: May. 28, 2019 at 3:09 PM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
For the third time in less than 2 years, a local business has been victims of robberies. Sweet Frog in Huntersville has been robbed twice and the location in Lake Norman has been hit once.
Updated: May. 27, 2019 at 4:18 PM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
A family spent their Memorial Day selling lemonade in Indian Trail to raise money for Gold Star families.
Updated: May. 27, 2019 at 1:16 PM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
With several days remaining of temperatures in the mid-90′s across Charlotte, MEDIC says their twin medical buses have been very busy.
Updated: May. 24, 2019 at 4:56 PM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
A family that lives on Mountain Island Lake says a strange set of circumstances surround the disappearance of their two French Bulldogs earlier this week.
Updated: May. 23, 2019 at 10:09 PM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
A new multi story, multi use building opened it’s doors Thursday along West Moorehead. ‘Refinery 1213’ near I-77 will house creative office and retail space. It the latest in a long list of projects that continue to transform the West Charlotte neighborhood.
Updated: May. 20, 2019 at 4:58 PM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
Millions of people watched the final episode of HBO’s ‘Game of Thrones’ Sunday night as the series officially came to an end. Now, many people are dealing with different emotions about how it ended.
Updated: May. 17, 2019 at 7:24 PM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
Neighbors in one West Charlotte neighborhood have raised concerns about what they say is gunfire close to where they live.
Updated: May. 16, 2019 at 5:06 PM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
Students in a carpentry class at A.L. Brown High School have made it their mission to help local veterans that are struggling or homeless.
Updated: May. 10, 2019 at 4:55 PM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
On a rainy Friday morning in South Charlotte, hundreds gathered inside Calvary Church to say their final goodbyes to fallen Mooresville Police Officer, Jordan Sheldon.
Updated: May. 6, 2019 at 6:16 PM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
On Thursday evening, Mooresville Police Officer Jordan Sheldon pulled into a BP gas station to fill up. While there, he met a woman that was passing through and that woman says the conversation they had will stick with her forever.
Updated: May. 3, 2019 at 9:55 PM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
Friday afternoon, dozens of students and faculty on the campus of UNC Charlotte held a ‘March for Our Lives’ rally three days after a deadly campus shooting that killed 2 and injured 4 others.
Updated: Apr. 25, 2019 at 5:06 PM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
One of the two suspects charged in the death of a 21-year-old Charlotte mother rejected a plea deal of second-degree murder and could face first-degree murder at trial.
Updated: Apr. 25, 2019 at 4:53 PM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
The man that hit and killed a local high school basketball player plead guilty to a lesser charge on Thursday in Mecklenburg County Courtroom.
Updated: Apr. 22, 2019 at 5:20 PM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
On Dec. 1, 2019, North Carolina will become the final state to implement “Raise the Age” legislation. It will make it where the criminal justice system treats 16 and 17-year-olds as juveniles for a majority of the crimes that are committed.
Updated: Apr. 18, 2019 at 5:48 PM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
As the I-77 Toll Lane Project nears completion, there is momentum on a plan to help alleviate some of the traffic for drivers during peak traffic times.
Updated: Apr. 9, 2019 at 1:12 AM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
The Charlotte community continues to voice concern over the growing homicide rate.
Updated: Apr. 5, 2019 at 2:10 PM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
A vigil, visitation, and funeral are set Friday and Saturday for a 27-year-old Charlotte mother that was killed in the crossfire of a shootout last week along North Tryon Street.
Updated: Apr. 4, 2019 at 5:12 PM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
A statewide public education campaign called More Powerful NC was launched Thursday in Charlotte. The goal is to confront opioid addiction by empowering people to fight against addiction in their communities.
Updated: Mar. 29, 2019 at 4:38 PM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
Less than 24 hours after a young woman was killed in a shooting in North Charlotte, her family is sharing more about her life.
Updated: Mar. 28, 2019 at 4:53 PM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
Bond was significantly reduced for a Rock Hill mother who police say tried to help her son hide evidence from investigators during a double homicide investigation.
Updated: Mar. 28, 2019 at 4:51 PM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
The man accused of shooting and killing a 27-year-old Rock Hill woman in 2018 plead guilty in the case on Thursday.
Updated: Mar. 25, 2019 at 3:16 PM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
On Monday, as electronic signs for the I-77 toll lanes were being tested, several local lawmakers announced new proposed legislation they hope will offer some relief to drivers.
Updated: Mar. 21, 2019 at 7:17 PM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
The Pineville Police Department and the Pineville Town Manager confirmed that they have been contacted by the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office about an upcoming targeted speeding enforcement operation. The police department says they will work with the MCSO deputies when that take place.
Updated: Mar. 18, 2019 at 9:12 AM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed Monday morning that Delta Airlines Flight 2409 reported a green laser illuminated the cockpit around 11:30 p.m. Sunday night.
Updated: Mar. 14, 2019 at 5:30 PM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
A day after a meeting between Panther’s owner, David Tepper, and South Carolina leaders about potentially moving part of the teams operations to South Carolina, Charlotte leaders are responding.
Updated: Mar. 11, 2019 at 3:11 PM EDT
|By Ben Williamson
Newly released numbers from the North Carolina Department of Transportation shed some light on neighbors concerns about crashes a long a busy stretch of road in East Charlotte.
Updated: Mar. 7, 2019 at 6:21 PM EST
|By Ben Williamson
Charges against a Claremont man accused of growing thousands of poppy plants in his back yard in 2017 have been dropped. A formal dismissal notice was filed by the Catawba County District Attorney’s Office in January of 2019.
Updated: Mar. 2, 2019 at 11:34 AM EST
|By Ben Williamson
The mother of a young man that was murdered in January of 2019 is asking the public for help in solving his case after police released numbers Thursday showing Charlotte’s high number of homicides.
Updated: Feb. 28, 2019 at 2:57 PM EST
|By Ben Williamson
A business owner who allegedly shot and killed a man who was reportedly breaking into his southeast Charlotte shop last August pleaded not guilty to voluntary manslaughter charges Thursday morning.
Updated: Feb. 25, 2019 at 4:12 PM EST
|By Ben Williamson
The 2019 CIAA basketball tournament will kick off Monday night as Johnson C. Smith University takes on Chowan University at the Bojangles Coliseum.
Updated: Feb. 21, 2019 at 3:39 PM EST
|By Ben Williamson
A Charlotte man, who had been battling kidney disease, is on the road to recovery after an amazing gift from his best friend.
Updated: Feb. 18, 2019 at 7:01 PM EST
|By Ben Williamson
As jury selection continues in the case against the man charged with the fatal shooting of a Charlotte protester back in 2016, we are getting a better idea of what prosecutors alleged happened.
Updated: Feb. 15, 2019 at 2:39 PM EST
|By Ben Williamson
The man that is accused of firing a shot that killed a protester during the 2016 Charlotte Protests has been ruled capable to continue in his trial.
Updated: Feb. 11, 2019 at 6:28 PM EST
|By Ben Williamson
The trial for the man police say fired a shot that killed a protester during the 2016 protests started Monday.
Updated: Feb. 8, 2019 at 7:36 PM EST
|By Ben Williamson
The contractor responsible for the I-77 Toll Lane Project will work to remove old lane markings on part of I-77 near I-85 Friday evening.
Updated: Feb. 4, 2019 at 7:30 PM EST
|By Ben Williamson
A Monday morning crash in East Charlotte has some people that live in that area warning of the dangers that stretch of road produces.
Updated: Feb. 1, 2019 at 4:59 PM EST
|By Ben Williamson
At first, police say the duo drove the U-Haul they moved to Charlotte with as their vehicle to commit the crimes.
Updated: Jan. 31, 2019 at 6:23 PM EST
|By Ben Williamson
Leaders in Charlotte expect roughly 150,00 visitors to come to the Queen City during the 2019 NBA All-Star Game. It will be the largest sporting event the city has ever hosted.
Updated: Jan. 25, 2019 at 3:17 PM EST
|By Ben Williamson
Crisis Assistance Ministry (CAM) has long helped Charlotte’s homeless and working low income families, but lately federal workers have been coming through the doors as well.
Updated: Jan. 21, 2019 at 6:40 PM EST
|By Ben Williamson
For the fourth time, a car crashed into a popular East Charlotte restaurant leaving behind damage and forced the business to temporarily close.
Updated: Jan. 12, 2019 at 8:00 PM EST
|By Ben Williamson
The owner of Pure Pizza took to Instagram to announce that any federal employee who did not get paid on Friday could come into either restaurant location and eat for free.
Updated: Jan. 11, 2019 at 11:15 PM EST
|By Ben Williamson
Friday is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day and one survivor in Charlotte is sharing her story to help spread awareness.
Updated: Jan. 11, 2019 at 12:34 AM EST
|By Ben Williamson
The government shutdown is set to enter it’s 21st day on Friday, and local small businesses are starting to feel the impacts.
Updated: Jan. 7, 2019 at 11:48 PM EST
|By Ben Williamson
The electric scooters in Charlotte have continued to grow in popularity and now the city is looking at new regulations in order to keep riders safe.
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