Dangerous road conditions during Hurricane Matthew took the life of Garland resident on Saturday.

Solomon Hickmond, a 30-year-old male, died in a single-vehicle accident on Old Mintz Road on Saturday afternoon. According to reports from the North Carolina Highway Patrol, Hickmond was driving a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox and lost control before hitting a tree, near N.C. Highway 411.

First Sgt. David Kinlaw, of the Sampson County branch of the Highway Patrol, said the incident was weather-related because of wet road conditions. Hurricane Matthew kept Sampson troopers busy on local highways when it struck the area. The station received between 30 and 50 calls, including a lot of people stranded in vehicles as a result of flooding, who had to be assisted by troopers.

“A lot of times you got to a spot where the water was running across,” Kinlaw said. “Cars stopped and they couldn’t get out and were stranded.”

Although the hurricane is gone, Kinlaw said the roads are still dangerous due to flooding and water damage, especially at night.

“There are a lot of roads under water and if you don’t know that, you’re going to get yourself in a lot of trouble,” the first sergeant said.

Kinlaw also expects some of the water levels to rise sometime this week, probably on Tuesday or Wednesday. He added that the state’s Department of Transportation has to wait until water level decreases before they begin work.

“We’re still not out of the woods yet,” he said.

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Highway Patrol urges caution on roads

By Chase Jordan

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Reach Chase Jordan at 910-249-4617. Follow us on Twitter at @SampsonInd and like us on Facebook.