The NC Highway Patrol has released the name of the fuel tanker driver who perished in a fiery crash Monday morning in Johnston County.
Joseph D’Ascoli, 38, of Broadway was traveling on Cleveland Road about 5 miles west of Smithfield when he ran off the roadway, struck a ditch and overturned in the parking lot of Elizabeth United Methodist Church. The cab of the truck caught on fire after the crash but a fire truck which was on the scene of a first responder medical call arrived on the scene within seconds of the crash and was able to prevent the flames from spreading to several thousand gallons of fuel.
Highway Patrol First Sgt. D.L. Mobley said troopers have still not been able to determine what caused D’Ascoli to run off the roadway and overturn.
The single vehicle accident shut down Cleveland Road for much of the day as hazardous mat crews removed the fuel from the overturned truck and also worked to clean up a small fuel spill at the scene.
The truck is owned by Gaines Oil Company of Goldston. Photos by JoCoReport.com
