When the going’s easy over local roads, it works best for everyone – especially during a time known for heavy drinking.
“We didn’t have any collisions during the New Year’s holiday, so things went pretty smooth,” N.C. Highway Patrol 1st Sgt. Charles Johnson said.
The area Highway Patrol office did record five arrests for driving while intoxicated on New Year’s Eve. The Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office also reported a generally quiet holiday period.
“I’m not aware of any incidents that we had – I know our people made some DWI arrests but I couldn’t provide you that information without doing that research,” LCSO Chief Deputy Chris Hill said. “But as far as the holidays, as far as I know, it was uneventful as far as crime goes.”
Statewide, the NCHP recorded five deaths resulting from three motor vehicle wrecks between Sunday and Wednesday. Two of the wrecks involved alcohol.
On Pleasant Road in Fairmont, a car pulled in behind an ATV and hit it, causing the ATV to run off the left shoulder of the road and overturn. Casie Shamon Blue, 25, of Fairmont, died at Southeastern Regional Medical Center in Lumberton from injuries sustained in the crash.
Jamie Vidal Crespo, 27, was heading west on Morrison Road in the Duplin County community of Turkey when his car ran off the left shoulder, striking a tree and a utility pole. He was not wearing a seatbelt and died in the wreck.
The crash, in which alcohol was not a factor, occurred in Buncombe County, when a Volvo with three passengers crossed the center line of N.C. 131, hitting a tractor trailer. All three people in the Volvo died, but the names have not been released. State troopers suspect excessive speed as contributing to the accident.
Overall, 899 people died as a result of 846 motor vehicle collisions on North Carolina’s roadways in 2012. Of those, 204 fatal wrecks — nearly 25 percent — involved the use of alcohol.
Wes Wolfe can be reached at 252-559-1075 or wes.wolfe@kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter at WolfeReports.
Over New Year’s:
Statewide
5 deaths resulting from motor vehicle wrecks
3 fatal motor vehicle wrecks
2 fatal motor vehicle wrecks involved alcohol
Locally
0 motor vehicle wrecks
5 arrests for driving while intoxicated
Source: N.C. Highway Patrol