AHOSKIE – A Kinston woman lost her life on NC 11 near here Tuesday morning when her pick-up truck collided head-on with an 18-wheeler.

Emily Diane Marzek, 54, was apparently killed on impact after the 1997 Toyota pick-up truck she was operating crossed the centerline and struck a 1998 International tractor-trailer.

William Jesse Coffield of Hamilton was operating the tractor-trailer, owned by Cab Logistics of Greenville. He did not suffer any major injuries.

According to a report filed by the investigating officer, North Carolina Highway Patrol Trooper J.K. Jones, Marzek was traveling south on NC 11 and had just past the NC 42 intersection when the accident occurred. Meanwhile, Hamilton was operating his rig north on NC 11.

Upon impact, the Toyota pick-up spun around, but remained in the southbound lane. The tractor-trailer ran off the right side of the road, came back on the roadway, crossed the centerline and came to rest on the right-of-way of the southbound lane.

The impact resulted in the rig losing a large amount of diesel fuel, both on the northbound shoulder of the road and the right-of-way area off the southbound lane. Department of Transportation officials were summoned to the scene to access that situation.

Meanwhile, Hertford County Animal Control was also called due to a Labrador Retriever found at the scene. The dog, apparently traveling with the victim, suffered a cut under its eye and appeared to be favoring its right shoulder. The dog was taken to Ahoskie Animal Hospital for treatment.

With the road closed due to the accident and ensuing clean-up, northbound traffic came to a standstill. Traffic was reportedly backed-up to the Millennium Road. Southbound traffic was rerouted onto NC 42 at Pleasant Grove Gardens.

Joining the NC Highway Patrol and DOT at the scene were the Millennium and Ahoskie fire departments, Hertford County EMS units, Hertford County Emergency Management and the Hertford County Sheriff’s Department.

“We appreciate the efforts of those emergency responders,” Sgt. Todd Lane of the NCHP Troop A, District 2 office in Ahoskie said. “We are especially thankful of the volunteer units. They helped in any way they could. That is a positive example of how well we all worked together here in this area.”

The fatality brought the number to 19 of those killed in the NCHP Troop A-2 District (Bertie, Gates, and Hertford) since Jan. 1. Seven of those fatalities have occurred in Hertford County.