HILDEBRAN, N.C. – Two people died in a fatal car crash Thursday afternoon on Interstate 40 West near Old NC 10 after a driver failed to reduce their speed and collided with a tractor trailer, according to the North Carolina Highway Patrol.
Officers say a 2009 Honda Odyssey and a 2020 Freightliner tractor trailer were traveling west on I-40. The tractor trailer started reducing speed in the right lane due to traffic. The Honda driver failed to slow down and fatally collided with the semi truck.
The crash happened at approximately 11:45 a.m. on Thursday, November 2nd on I-40 West near exit 118 in Burke County. I-40 West was closed in the area for nearly two hours while police were investigating the crash.
Officials say the driver, Ryan Lee Childers, 44, and the passenger, Melissa Louise Childrers, 44, died at the scene from their injuries. They were the only occupants in the vehicle. Police say neither of them were wearing seatbelts.
The tractor-trailer driver, Dakota Matthews, 57, was unharmed.
Alcohol was not deemed a contributing factor in the initial investigation, and no charges will be filed for this crash.
