One person is dead, another injured, after a semi truck collided with a Cadillac that had broken down in the middle of Interstate 40 near Benson early-Tuesday. The crash happened around 1:30am near the 325 mile marker.
The driver of the 1977 Cadillac, Eddie McLean, 66, of Fayetteville, was stopped in the right lane of I-40 east with no lights on the vehicle. A tractor trailer day cab, operated by Gregory Hayes, 40, of Louisburg, was traveling east on I-40 when it struck the rear of the Cadillac. Upon impact, McLean was ejected and died.
The car traveled off the roadway to the right where it struck a tree. A female passenger, Elease Blue, 47, also of Fayetteville, was located still inside the car. She suffered serious but non-life threatening injuries and is being treated at Wake Medical Center in Raleigh.
Hayes, the truck driver, was not injured. At the time of the crash the tractor trailer cab did not have a trailer attached at the time. The truck is owned by C.R. England Inc. of Burns Harbor, Indiana.
The collision damaged the truck spilling about 40 gallons of oil and fluids on the highway, according to Trooper C.E. Summerlin. A NC DOT truck responded to the scene to spread sand on the highway and assist with the cleanup of the slippery pavement.
The NC Highway Patrol is investigating. Photos by John Payne
