A white Cadillac and Chevrolet pickup crashed on Maiden Highway near the Highway 321 interchange Saturday afternoon, closing the road down for a little over an hour.

Weekend wreck sends
three to hospitals

BY JON MAYHEW
North Lincoln
A near head-on crash on Maiden Highway near the Highway 321 interchange Saturday afternoon sends three members of a Virginia family to local hospitals.

The North Carolina Highway Patrol said the female driver of a white Cadillac had her attention diverted when she nearly ran into the back of a vehicle. She swerved, crossing the center line south of the North 321 Fire Department, into the path of an oncoming Chevrolet pickup.

The female driver and a young child were transported to Catawba Valley Medical Center; a male passenger was taken to Gaston Memorial Hospital.

Scottie Stanton was sitting in a vehicle at the convenience store when the accident happened. He told The Carolina Scoop the woman driver got out of her car, screaming about her puppy.

“She was saying 'Oh my God, my dog was dead,'” said Stanton. “I was saying don't worry about your dog.”

The puppy, which was uninjured, was being looked after until it could be reunited with its family.

Authorities said hospital officials would not let troopers in to speak with any of the three victims.

Business owner Randy Williams said he was lucky Saturday afternoon, as the area he weed-eated minutes earlier in front of his business was turned into an accident scene.

“When they struck, the cars started smoking,” said Williams. “I called 911. I thought the wreck would catch fire.”

Troopers said the investigation into the accident was ongoing throughout the weekend. The man and his son in the pickup did not require transport to the hospital.

The accident kept Maiden Highway shut down in both directions for at least a half hour.

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