BENSON – The State Highway Patrol announced today (Thursday) no charges will be filed against the driver of a box truck that crossed the median on Interstate 95 slamming into a pickup, killed both occupants in the pickup.
The crash happened one week ago, May 18 at 3:40pm on Interstate 95 near the 84 mile marker, north of Benson.
Charles Robinson Nichols Jr., 23, of Four Oaks was operating a 2012 Freightliner box truck northbound when a witness said the front tire blew out. Nichols lost control of the truck, which veered into the median, through the cable guardrail, into the southbound lanes, striking head-on a 2002 Toyota pickup driven by William Raymond Sinclair, age 73, of Jamestown, NC.
The impact forced the Toyota to travel backwards 38 feet and onto the shoulder. The box truck came to rest in a grassy area off the highway.
Sinclair and a passenger, Francisco Javier Ortiz Mundo, 29, of Greensboro, NC died at the scene. There were no other occupants in the pickup.
A trailer being towed by the Toyota detached and was immediately struck by a 2020 Honda SUV driven by Jason Reid Williams, 44, of Angier, NC. The Honda stopped in the median. Williams was evaluated at the scene by EMS but declined transport to the hospital.
Nicholas, the driver of the box truck, and a passenger, Dallas Bright, 38, of Kernersville, NC were seriously injured and transported to Wake Med in Raleigh.
According to the accident report, the Freightliner was traveling at an estimated 65 miles per hour and the Toyota 60 miles per hour when they struck head on.
The Honda was traveling at 65 mph but had slowed to an estimated 50 mph when it collided with the detached utility trailer. The posted speed limit is 65 mph. The report indicated the occupants in all three vehicles were wearing seat belts.
After consultation with the Johnston County District Attorney’s Office, the State Highway Patrol said no charges will be filed.
I guess the driver of the box truck should not be charged and the condition of the tires were in good shape. If the tires were in good shape, then it was not his fault, but the story is so sad. I pray for the families of the deceased.
Very sad . It was an accident, don’t think anyone needs jail time . But at the same time was it a company or personal truck … the tires should be checked periodically for safety .
That’s a stark reminder that I need a new set of tires. I think I’ll quit procrastinating and schedule it today in fact…