Two Juveniles Ejected In Serious I-40 Crash

SAMPSON COUNTY, N.C. — Four people, including two juveniles, were injured in a serious crash Friday afternoon on Interstate 40 near N.C. Highway 24 in Sampson County.

According to authorities, the crash happened around 5:02 p.m. when a 2007 Toyota Yaris traveling eastbound on Interstate 40 suffered a failure of its right rear tire.

Investigators said the tire separated, causing the vehicle to go out of control. The car traveled off the roadway into the median, struck a cable guardrail and began overturning.

During the rollover, the vehicle crossed into the westbound lanes of Interstate 40 before coming to rest.

The driver, identified as Brian Hugo Arana, 19, of Angier, was transported to Vidant Medical Center in Greenville for treatment.

The front-seat passenger, identified as Alex Francisco Cueller Castro, 20, was transported to WakeMed in Raleigh.

Authorities said both the driver and front-seat passenger were wearing seat belts.

Two juvenile passengers riding in the back seat were ejected during the crash. One juvenile was transported to WakeMed in Raleigh, while the second was taken to Novant Health in Wilmington.

Traffic on Interstate 40 was temporarily shut down during the investigation, but all lanes have since reopened.