Selma Police announced Monday they have filed charges in connection with last week’s collision between two loaded fuel tankers.
Around 5:20am last Wednesday, April 24th, police said a 2019 Freightliner fuel tanker, owned by Eagle Transport of Rocky Mount and driven by Dale Allen Fairley, 42, of Raleigh, was traveling eastbound on US 70 approaching the intersection of Highway 301. As Fairley entered the intersection to make a sweeping left turn towards US 301 North the tanker was struck from behind by a 2015 Volvo tractor trailer operated by Ronald Lane Parker, 59, of Rocky Mount, and owned by New Dixie Transports of Roanoke Rapids.
Police said Parker attempted to avoid the collision by changing lanes and 128 feet of tire impressions were observed from the left hand lane to the right hand lane of US 70 beyond the point of impact.
Officer J.M. Ward was sitting in his patrol car in the parking lot of Parrish Funeral Home at the intersection of US 70 and US 301 at the time of the early morning crash. He witnessed both tankers come to rest in the intersection after the crash.
Officer Ward said he located Parker unconscious and pinned in the cab of his truck. Both cab doors would not open. Officer Ward was able to remove Parker from the mangled cab through the driver’s side window.
Parker was transported to Wake Medical Center for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. Fairley was taken to Johnston Medical Center in Smithfield for treatment of minor injuries.
Police said one of the two tankers was equipped with a video camera system.
According to the accident report, Fairley was traveling at 8 miles per hour when he attempted to make the sweeping left turn. Parker struck the Eagle Transport semi from behind while traveling at 45 miles per hour.
Fairley was cited by Selma Police with an unsafe movement violation. Parker was not cited.
Damage to the New Dixie Freightliner was placed at $25,000. Damage to the Volvo was estimated at $50,000. Both tankers had to be towed from the scene. The accident shut down the busy intersection for almost 5 hours.
