SUV crashes to avoid collision

Two women survived a serious crash with only minor injuries in a vehicle accident Wednesday just outside of Vass. Emergency units were dispatched shortly before 4 p.m. to a single-vehicle accident in the 1100 block of Lobelia Road near Johnson Grove Road.

The first arriving units reported a Chevrolet SUV off the roadway on its side. Extrication of the patients immediately began as first responders cut the roof to gain access to the women. A helicopter was dispatched but later canceled once both patients were free from the vehicle.

The driver of the Equinox stated that she was traveling east on Lobelia Road when another car heading west crossed the center into her lane. To avoid a head-on collision, she swerved to miss the other vehicle, ran off the road, and hit a drain culvert which caused the SUV to roll onto its side.

Witnesses that were following the vehicle verified the other car crossed the center line, and a BOLO (Be On Look Out) was issued. That vehicle description was not available at the time of this report.

Both occupants were transported to Moore Regional Hospital.

Lobelia Road was shut down for a brief period, and traffic was diverted onto Johnson Grove Road and Byrd Road while the roadway could be cleared.

Highway Patrol was on scene investigating the accident.

This was the second rollover in a two hour period today in Moore County. The first one occurred around 2 p.m. on U.S.1 south in the area of Skyline Estates.

Responding to the scene on Lobelia Road were Cypress Pointe Fire Department, Moore County EMS and N.C. Highway Patrol.

~Article and photo by Sandhills Sentinel Reporter Daniel Gwyn.