Greene County has two fatalities in 24 hours
By Steve Herring
Published in News on April 12, 2009 2:00 AM
An 80-year-old woman and a 19-year-old man died less than 24 hours and one mile apart in separate traffic accidents last week in Greene County.
They were the third and fourth traffic fatalities respectively thus far this year in Greene County, all of which have been investigated by state Trooper B. R. Beaman.
Annie Mooring, 80, of 1570 Gurganus Road, Snow Hill, was pronounced dead at the scene Thursday night after she was struck by a vehicle while crossing U.S. 13 in the Shine Crossroad community just northeast of Goldsboro.
In the second accident, John Patrick Alphin, 19, of 1409 Cedar Lane, Greenville, was thrown from his Toyota pickup truck Friday afternoon in a one-vehicle accident. He later died at Wayne Memorial Hospital, Beaman said.
Ms. Mooring had just left a service at Fort Run Church about 9:45 Thursday night, Beaman said.
She was crossing U.S. 13 to a parking lot across from the church when she was struck by a vehicle operated by James Privette, 62, of Kinston.
Beaman said he had received several phone calls from people who thought Ms. Mooring had died in a hit-and-run accident. That is not what happened, he said.
Beaman said that Privette was traveling east on U.S. 13 toward Snow Hill where it appears that Ms. Mooring stepped into traffic.
Privette was initially unsure what he had struck and pulled over.
"He said that he never saw her," Beaman said. "He stopped as soon as he could."
Beaman said the only witness heard, but did not see the accident. The witness had last seen Ms. Mooring walking around some bushes in the churchyard and had turned back toward the church when she was struck.
Speed does not appear to have been a factor, Beaman said, adding that no charges will be filed.
Beaman was taking photos at the accident scene Friday afternoon around 4:35 p.m. when he received the call about another accident, this one about a mile away on Hart Road.
Speed also did not appear to be a factor in the one-vehicle accident that claimed Alphin's life, he said, explaining that there are a number of "S" curves along that stretch of road.
The Alphin vehicle ran off the right shoulder of the road and down toward a ditch. As Alphin was trying to regain control, the rear tires struck soft sand causing the truck to roll over twice ejecting Alphin.
Beaman said that it appeared that Alphin had been in control of the vehicle up until it overturned. The vehicle had traveled 198 feet after running off the shoulder and continued for another 53 feet after overturning.
"It looked like he was riding the shoulder trying to get back on the road," Beaman said.
There was no indication that Alphin was wearing his seat belt, Beaman said.
Alphin was a former North Lenoir High School pitcher and was the News-Argus' 2008 Pitcher of the Year.