Traffic on Lobelia Road was brought to a halt on Saturday afternoon after a near head-on collision caused the busy highway to be shut down.
Just before 3 p.m., emergency units were dispatched to the area of Lobelia Road at Louise Lane near Vass for a severe traffic accident.
Upon their arrival, first responders found a Chevrolet Trailblazer with heavy damage to the front and driver’s side along the shoulder of the road. Nearly 100 yards away was a Subaru Forester at the entrance to Louise Lane with heavy front and driver’s side damage.
According to officials on the scene, the Chevrolet was traveling west toward Vass when it crossed the centerline into the path of the Subaru. The vehicles collided at the front driver’s corners. As a result, the driver’s door of the Subaru had to be pried open by firefighters to free the driver.
Damage to the Chevrolet Trailblazer after striking the Subaru Forester.
The impact caused the driver’s side wheel and strut assembly to be completely ripped away from the Chevrolet, and the driver’s wheel of the Subaru was nearly ripped off. A debris field was scattered along the highway for almost 100 yards between the two vehicles.
All three occupants of the Subaru were transported to Moore Regional Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Neither of the two occupants of the Chevrolet required transport to the hospital.
NC Highway Patrol was on the scene investigating the crash and told Sandhills Sentinel that speed was not a factor in the collision.
Lobelia Road traffic was diverted around the crash at Pats Road and Byrd Road for about an hour while crews worked the scene, and the roadway could be cleared.
Responding units were the Cypress Pointe Fire Department, Crains Creek Fire Department, Moore County EMS, Moore County Sheriff’s Office, and NC Highway Patrol.
~Article and photo by Sandhills Sentinel reporter Daniel Gwyn. Daniel has been reporting breaking news for Sandhills Sentinel since 2020.
