CLAYTON – Two people sustained serious injuries in a two vehicle traffic accident Wednesday morning in the Clayton city limits. The collision happened around 9:45am on Highway 70 at Barbour Street.
Clayton Police said a 2008 Honda Pilot, being operated by Jackie Trotter, 62, of Clayton, was driving down Barbour Street to merge onto Highway 70, heading west.
Trotter failed to merge, and his vehicle crossed both westbound lanes of Highway 70, went through the median, and struck a 2022 Nissan Altima traveling eastbound on Highway 70. The Altima was driven by Jonathan Williams, 62, of Goldsboro.
The Altima flipped several times and came to rest near the on ramp to Highway 70 from Lombard Street. The Honda Pilot hit a light pole and flipped on its side.
Both drivers had to be extricated by Clayton Fire and Johnston County EMS personnel. Both Trotter and Williams were transported to Wake Med where they remain hospitalized with serious but non-life threatening injuries.
Police Chief Greg Tart said the accident remains under investigation and charges are pending.
Drivers, the word merge does not mean you have the right of way to push yourself in. The word merge is a warning, and you have to give the person on the road already the right of way. I do hope all will recover.
“Trotter failed to merge, and his vehicle crossed both westbound lanes of Highway 70, went through the median, and struck a 2022 Nissan Altima traveling eastbound on Highway 70.”
It doesn’t sound like he “pushed himself in”. Sounds like he either wasn’t paying attention or had a medical issue and drove straight across both west bound lanes and through the median. The car he hit was in the east bound lanes.