03/23/12 — Duplin woman dies after accident

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Duplin woman dies after accident

By From staff reports
Published in News on March 23, 2012 1:46 PM

BEULAVILLE -- An elderly Duplin County woman has died as result of injuries she sustained when she drove her car into the path of a tractor-trailer truck.

It was the second fatal wreck in the county within the past week.

Duplin County Highway Patrol officials said Mary Brown Woodard, 76, of Arthur Boney Road, was pulling out of a driveway onto N.C. 41 just south of Beulaville Wednesday night when she was struck in the driver's side door by the truck driven by Carlton Sullivan, 45, of Red Hill Road, Mount Olive.

Troopers said Sullivan swerved into the opposite lane of traffic in an attempt to avoid the collision. However, Ms. Woodard continued into the path of the truck and the two collided in the opposite lane of traffic.

The truck ended up in a ditch and Ms. Woodard's vehicle in the roadway.

Ms. Woodard, who survived the crash, was charged at the scene with failure to yield and with a seat belt violation. She was transported to Vidant Medical Center (formerly Pitt County Memorial Hospital) in Greenville.

Troopers said they were told that Ms. Woodard died Thursday.

Sullivan was taken to Vidant Duplin Hospital in Kenansville where he was treated and released.

Sullivan was wearing a seat belt and neither alcohol nor speed were factors in the accident, troopers said.

Ms. Woodard's vehicle, a 2008 Chevrolet car, was totaled. Damage to the truck totaled $4,000.