GATESVILLE – For the second time this year, a motor vehicle accident on US 158 in Gates County has claimed the life of an elderly female.

The latest mishap occurred April 19 when 67-year-old Nancy Wilkins of Gatesville lost her life in a two-vehicle crash.

According to the report filed by North Carolina Highway Patrol Trooper A.S. Genao, Wilkins was operating a 2006 Dodge mini van westbound on US 158, near Cotton Gin Road, at approximately 5:54 p.m. For reasons unknown, the vehicle operated by Wilkins began to drift left of center.

At the same time, a 2007 GMC pick up truck – driven by 74-year-old George Brodie of Corapeake – was traveling east on US 158.

Trooper Genao’s report showed that Brodie attempted to avoid the collision by steering his truck to the right and partially onto the shoulder of the roadway. However, the Wilkins vehicle continued to travel to the left and collided with Brodie’s truck in the eastbound lane.

Wilkins died at the scene.

Brodie suffered injuries to his legs and was airlifted to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.

The fatal crash was the second of 2016 in the Highway Patrol’s Troop A / District II area (Bertie, Gates and Northampton counties).

The first occurred Feb. 9 at the intersection of US 158 and White Oak Road where 88-year-old Mary Felton Eure of Turner Road died one day later at Vidant Medical Center in Greenville due to injuries sustained in the accident.

She was a passenger in a vehicle driven by her son, Robert Earl Eure of the same Turner Road address.