FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — A North Carolina woman died in a fiery two-vehicle crash that closed Interstate 95 near Fayetteville for several hours Friday night, officials said.
The incident was reported just after 9:15 p.m. in the southbound lanes near exit 49 which is Cedar Creek Road/N.C. 210, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.
The wreck happened as a man driving a 1996 Chevrolet Caprice was traveling at 15 mph in the right lane, said Sgt. Kevin Pearson of the N.C. State Highway Patrol.
The driver of a tractor-trailer, which was traveling at about 70 mph, smashed into the back of the Chevrolet, forcing it off the highway to the right, Pearson said.
The Chevrolet then overturned and caught fire.
The tractor-trailer came to a stop and also caught fire, according to Pearson.
The driver of the Chevrolet was freed by bystanders and fire crews. He was taken to Cape Fear Valley Hospital with serious injuries.
The car’s passenger, Brenda Lee Johnson, 47, of Red Springs died at the scene, Pearson said. Both occupants were wearing seatbelts, according to Pearson.
The pair in the Chevrolet was returning to Red Springs after an earlier visit to Dunn.
The tractor-trailer driver was not hurt.
Pearson said no one has been charged in the crash. Investigators are looking into the slow speed of the Chevrolet, which was apparently having mechanical problems, Pearson said.
Officials are also trying to determine if the driver of the Chevrolet had the car’s lights on at the time.
A search warrant was obtained for dash cam video from the tractor-trailer, but officials are not sure how much video will be usable because of the fire in the truck’s cab, Pearson said.
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