A Chevrolet Suburban met up with a Dodge Stratus Monday morning, with predictable results.
“They were traveling north on (N.C.) 58, and the Dodge stopped at the intersection, and the Suburban ran into the back of her,” State Trooper M.S. Turner said.
Lashannette Larina, 34, of Kinston, was driving the Stratus. Lenoir County EMS arrived at the scene a few minutes before 10 a.m., helping Larina from the driver’s seat to a stretcher, where she was immobilized. Paramedics transported her, with unknown injuries, to Lenoir Memorial Hospital from the wreck site at Wootens Crossroads.
Christopher Lee Stevens, 42, of Kinston, drove the Suburban. Turner cited him for failure to reduce speed.
The Hugo Volunteer Fire Department was the first to respond to the collision, sending three fire trucks. Firefighters initially helped Larina and managed traffic until the scene was cleared.
While Stevens received no injuries, his Suburban suffered relatively minor damage to its left-front grill and headlights, from crushing the trunk of the Stratus. The collision resulted in nearly shearing the Dodge’s bumper off — the tow-truck driver had to finish the job before taking the car away.
The impact of the wreck caused the Stratus to spin around and enter the southbound lane — it eventually came to rest on the far side of the road. The Suburban stopped atop a small mound of grass slightly past the intersection.
Wootens Crossroads is where N.C. 58, Dawson Station Road and Airy Grove Church Road meet in northern Lenoir County.
Wes Wolfe can be reached at 252-559-1075 or wes.wolfe@kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter at WolfeReports.