Keaton Eberly, Glyniss Wiggins, and Rodney Overton
KNIGHTDALE, N.C. (WNCN) — A dump truck driver has been charged after he was using a cell phone just before a head-on collision Tuesday morning that left one person dead and caused a diesel spill and a 6-hour road closure in Wake County, officials said.
At around 9:18 a.m. Tuesday, a crash was reported near Mial Plantation Road near Old Baucom Road in Wake County. According to Knightdale fire officials, a head-on collision happened between a diesel delivery truck and a dump truck. One person was killed in the crash.
According to North Carolina State Highway Patrol, the dump truck was heading north on Mial Plantation Road and the tanker truck was traveling the other direction, when the dump truck veered off the right side of the road and crossed the centerline, hitting the other vehicle.
The driver of the dump truck, identified as 41-year-old Victor Eldred Adrian Sumner of Garner, was taken to Wak Med Rex for minor injuries. He’s been charged with misdemeanor death by a motor vehicle, left of center, careless and reckless driving, operating a commercial motor vehicle while using a mobile telephone, as well as resisting, delaying and obstructing an investigation, said Christopher D. Knox, a 1st Sgt. with the N.C. State Highway Patrol.
The other driver, 55-year-old Scott Thomas Painter, was pronounced dead on scene by Wake County EMS, officials said.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation told CBS 17 that both directions on the road were closed as crews cleared the scene. Crews also cleaned up fuel spilled from the collision.
Wake County fire officials said they were assisting along with the N.C. State Highway Patrol and other agencies to contain a hazmat situation and the crash.
A detour was put in place until the roadway reopened around 4:20 p.m. The scene was finally clear just after 6 p.m., according to the NCDOT.
Credit: Source link
