Troopers Investigate Deadly Sampson County Collision

SAMPSON COUNTY – One person was killed Tuesday morning in a two-vehicle crash on U.S. 13 near Sunny Lane in the Godwin community, authorities said.

The crash happened around 10:05 a.m. when a westbound SUV crossed the centerline and sideswiped an eastbound tractor-trailer, according to the N.C. State Highway Patrol.

Troopers said the SUV, a 2008 Ford Explorer, struck the tractor-trailer in the eastbound lane before running off the right side of the roadway. The vehicle hit a ditch and came to rest facing east.

The driver of the Ford Explorer was ejected and pronounced dead at the scene. The victim’s identity has not been released pending notification of next of kin.

The tractor-trailer, a 2025 International, was driven by Brian Keith Burgess of Goldsboro. Burgess was taken to a local hospital and treated for minor injuries. The truck came to rest on the eastbound shoulder of the highway.

The crash remains under investigation by the Highway Patrol.