Two vehicles overturn
By John Joyce
Published in News on June 6, 2013 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/BOBBY WILLIAMS
This tanker truck carrying gasoline overturned on the access ramp on U.S. 117 from U.S. 70 early today, delaying traffic on both highways entering the city from the south and west.
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News-Argus/BOBBY WILLIAMS
This car crossed the intersection at N.C. 44 north of Goldsboro this morning and ran off the road near a stretch of unfinished highway, rolling down a hill and coming to rest against at construction trailer. The driver's identity was not immediately known.
Two accidents early today left one driver in critical condition and shut down traffic entering Goldsboro from the south and west.
An 18-wheeler hauling 8,800 gallons of gasoline overturned on the access ramp on U.S. 117 from U.S. 70 East at about 3:20 a.m., shutting down traffic during the morning commute. The driver suffered minor injuries.
Meanwhile, the driver of a vehicle that went off the side of an embankment at N.C. 44 and Wayne Memorial Drive early this morning was alive, but has not yet been positively identified.
Preliminary estimates suggested that the intersection at U.S. 117 and U.S. 70 where the tanker overturned would be open by noon, but as of 9 a.m. that was less certain.
Workers were still trying to figure a way to offload the diesel because, due to the damage, they are unable to offload it the conventional way, said Maj. Mike West of the Goldsboro Police Department.
"They may have to drill."
Firefighters and personnel from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base were considering putting down foam as a precaution, West said, which was expected to add to the mess and to delay things further.
No serious injuries were reported but the driver, Howard Franklin Boyette, 26, of Clinton, will be cited for careless and reckless driving, authorities said.
Boyette was operating the tanker for Waccamaw Transport out of Selma, West said.
In the second accident, Highway Patrol officials said one person was in the vehicle, which came across the intersection and entered a stretch of unfinished road that will soon extend N.C. 44 beyond Wayne Memorial Drive.
The vehicle rolled down the hill and came to rest against a construction trailer owned by Sanford Construction Co.
No one was inside the trailer.
Pinewood Fire Department and EMS workers responded and were able to extricate the victim from the crumpled car.
Witnesses provided statements and a possible identification of the driver was still being investigated at the time of this report. The exact cause of the accident also remains unknown.