Chain reaction crash injures three

Published 9:10 am Tuesday, March 26, 2013

EURE – Three people were transported to the hospital following four vehicle pile-up near here.

The wreck involving two passenger vehicles and two tractor trailers occurred Friday at approximately 1:50 p.m. on US 13 just south of Tar Heel Barbecue.

According to a report filed by North Carolina Highway Patrol Trooper J.S. Archer, all four vehicles involved were traveling north on US 13.

Three of those vehicles were stopped by a flag man due to utility work being done near the roadway. It was there that a fourth vehicle, a 2000 Freightliner tractor trailer owned by Felton Milteer III and driven by Donna Wellons, 48, of Portsmouth, VA, failed to reduce speed and struck a 2005 Honda driven by Jason Clark, 45, of Woodland.

The collision forced the Honda off the roadway where it hit a ditch and overturned on its roof.

The truck continued and struck a 2012 International tractor trailer owned by Guy Shavender Trucking, Inc. and driven by Claude Fennell, 53, of Aulander.

Fennell’s truck was then forced into a 1997 Oldsmobile driven by George Riddick, 53, of Eure.

Wellons, Clark and Riddick were transported by Gates County EMS to Vidant Roanoke Chowan Hospital.

According to a spokesperson with the hospital, both Clark and Riddick were treated and released. The spokesperson added Wellons was transported to a different hospital and was not sure of which medical facility that was.

Wellons was charged with failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.