CLAYTON – NC Alcohol Law Enforcement agents are now assisting the State Highway Patrol with a fatal crash investigation on Interstate 40 in Johnston County. The crash was discovered at 7:32am Sunday on I-40 at the Cornwallis Road bridge, but it may have occurred hours earlier.
Troopers said 18 year-old Ivan Miguel Pastrana-Vega of Angier was traveling eastbound in a 2013 Hyundai Elentra at approximately 100 miles per hour when the car struck a deer in the travel lane. The car traveled off the interstate into the median where it struck the face of a guardrail then overturned. As it overturned, the roof of the car collided with a bridge column. The Hyundai came to rest at the base of the bridge.
After the car struck the deer it traveled an additional 417 feet before colliding with the bridge column, according to an accident report.
Pastrana-Vega was pronounced deceased at the scene. There were no passengers in the vehicle.
The authorized speed limit on I-40 where the wreck occurred is 65 miles per hour. Troopers said it does not appear Patrana-Vega was wearing a seat belt.
On Monday, we learned NC Alcohol Law Enforcement is assisting with the crash investigation. Authorities are looking into possible alcohol use on the underage driver.
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