Three in critical condition after car and 18-wheeler collide
By John Joyce
Published in News on March 22, 2016 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
A firefighter holds an IV bag and the hand of Roger Beard, who was driving the car that was struck by an 18-wheeler Monday afternoon at the intersection of Millers Chapel Road and Long's Plant Farm Road.
The N.C. State Highway Patrol released the names of three people seriously injured in a wreck involving an 18-wheeler on Millers Chapel Road Monday.
One person was airlifted directly to Vidant Medical Center in Greenville. The other two victims were transported first to Wayne Memorial Hospital, after which one of them was transferred to Vidant.
"The passengers are all in serious, critical condition," Trooper T.C. High said.
The wreck took place near the intersection on Millers Chapel Road and Long's Plant Farm Road at about 12:25 p.m.
Roger Beard, 20, of Goldsboro, was driving the passenger car involved in the wreck, High said. It was Beard who was airlifted to Greenville from the scene. A passenger, Sabrina Bryant, 19, of Greenville, was later flown from Wayne Memorial Hospital to Vidant Medical Center. Linwood Dalton King, 20, of Pikeville, remains at Wayne Memorial Hospital.
The details leading up to the wreck remain under investigation.
"From what we've looked at, a vehicle stopped on Millers Chapel Road attempting to make a left-hand turn onto Long's Plant Farm Road," High said.
Several vehicles made the turn successfully, but one car failed to stop, he said. In an effort to avoid a collision with another car, the driver turned the steering wheel sending the car across the center line and into oncoming traffic, he said.
"The vehicle was struck by the 18-wheeler," High said.
The driver of the tractor trailer, Larry Hall, 63, of Kinston, was not injured.
High said it was too early to determine if charges would be filed, the wreck remained under investigation well into the evening Monday night.
Authorities were still working to clear the wreck scene hours after it happened.