MURFREESBORO – Even a seat belt and an air bag could not prevent a Virginia woman from losing her life near here Sunday morning.

Judy Lynn Talley, 49, of Newport News, Va. was killed instantly when the vehicle in which she was a passenger was struck head-on by another vehicle.

The wreck occurred at 11:30 a.m. approximately 1.1 miles north of Murfreesboro on U.S. 258 near Maney’s Neck Mobile Home Park.

Talley was riding in a 2004 Mazda pick-up truck owned and operated by her husband, Paul Brian Talley, 48, also of Newport News.

According to a report filed by North Carolina Highway Patrol Trooper Jason Jones, the Mazda was traveling south and was in the process of passing another vehicle when it struck, head-on, a 2000 Ford pick-up truck operated by Justin Dean Bailey, 21, of Carrsville, Va.

Bailey’s vehicle was northbound on U.S. 258. He was traveling alone.

Paul Talley and Bailey both suffered injuries. Two units of EastCare came to Hertford County to airlift the men to Pitt Memorial Hospital in Greenville. There, Monday afternoon, a hospital spokesperson said Talley was listed in fair condition while Bailey was treated and released.

Trooper Jones estimated the speed of Talley’s truck at 65 mph. He said Bailey’s vehicle was traveling at the posted speed limit (55 mph) at the time of impact.

Hertford County EMS rolled three units to the scene. Also responding was the Murfreesboro and Ahoskie fire departments, both equipped with extrication equipment.

Charges are pending in the accident.

Sunday’s accident was one of six wrecks in the Roanoke-Chowan area over the busy Memorial Day weekend. There were no life-threatening injuries reported in the other five n one Friday night on NC 42 just west of Ahoskie, a head-on collision Saturday morning on the Ahoskie-Cofield Road, a single-car mishap Saturday on the Benthall Bridge Road near Murfreesboro, a two-vehicle crash Saturday afternoon on U.S. 13 north of Ahoskie and a Sunday wreck in Bertie County on NC 305.