POWELLSVILLE – A fiery crash claimed the life of an Ahoskie man near here Wednesday morning.

The North Carolina Highway Patrol reported the death of 60-year-old Ricky McCoy Dickerson.

NCHP Trooper C.W. Godwin said Dickerson was operating a 2012 Toyota pickup truck northbound on US 13 in Bertie County at around 8:45 a.m. For reasons unknown, the truck veered right, ran off the highway, struck a ditch, and collided with a tree before overturning and catching on fire.

Godwin said Dickerson was trapped inside the truck and died at the scene.

The accident, Godwin stated, occurred 4.8 miles south of Powellsville near the intersection of US 13 and Mitchell Road.

“There was no indication that Mr. Dickerson lost control of the vehicle just prior to the accident,” Godwin said.

Godwin added that both lanes of US 13 were closed for a short period of time to allow for emergency responders to work the accident scene. Those responders included the Askewville Volunteer Fire Department, Bertie County EMS, and deputies with the Bertie Sheriff’s Office.

The fatality was the ninth of the year within the Highway Patrol’s Troop A / District II area. Four of those fatalities have been in Bertie County.