One person was critically injured Tuesday evening after a vehicle was rear-ended on U.S. 15-501 just south of Cox’s Double Eagle Harley-Davidson shop.
According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, the crash occurred when a Honda sedan traveling northbound was struck from behind by a pickup truck. The impact pushed the Honda into oncoming traffic, where it collided head-on with a southbound passenger car.
When emergency crews arrived, they found the Honda’s driver trapped inside the vehicle. Firefighters had to utilize hydraulic tools to remove the driver’s side door and reach the victim. Crews reported that the driver was not wearing a seatbelt when they extracted him from the vehicle.
A medical helicopter was requested, but because of an estimated 28-minute arrival time, paramedics transported the patient by ambulance to a hospital for immediate care. The helicopter continued to another regional call.
It is unclear whether others involved in the crash were taken to the hospital.
A friend of the man who was driving the Honda stated in an email to Sandhills Sentinel that “He had just left the gym and was heading home. He was fully stopped, with brakes pressed and left blinker on, preparing to turn into his driveway. While waiting for a safe gap in traffic, he momentarily unclipped his seatbelt-a decision made while stationary, not in motion.”
Highway Patrol was on scene investigating the crash.
~Article and photos by Sandhills Sentinel Publisher B.J. Goodridge.Â
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