04/25/14 — Man dies in one-car wreck

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Man dies in one-car wreck

By John Joyce
Published in News on April 25, 2014 1:46 PM

A single-vehicle accident on Tear Shirt Road in Duplin County Thursday claimed the life of a Mount Olive man, the N.C. State Highway Patrol said.

The accident took place just before 9:30 p.m.

Jimmy Dean Williamson, 50, 184 Jim Best Road, died when his 2001 Land Rover veered off the road to the right.

N.C. State Highway Patrol First Sgt. Will Thurston said Williamson's speed was estimated at 100 miles per hour.

"The vehicle was traveling west on Tear Shirt Road. The driver ran off the road to the right, overcorrected to the left, then corrected again back right," Thurston said.

The vehicle struck a ditch and overturned several times, he said.

Williamson, alone in the vehicle, was not wearing his seat belt and was ejected.

Investigators said they suspect alcohol might have been a factor in the crash.