On Friday morning, Sampson County authorities responded to the scene of a head-on collision on NC Highway 24 that resulted in the deaths of two people.
According to Highway Patrol, a gray 2015 Honda Accord was traveling west on NC 24, just outside Clinton, and was passing a Toyota truck, when it traveled off the roadway to the left, came back onto the roadway, out of control, and struck a 2025 International semi-truck head-on. The 18-wheeler was pulling a trailer in the eastbound lane of the highway.
After the impact, the Honda was forced off the roadway and came to rest in the north ditch while the semi-truck rested in the middle of the highway. The driver of the tractor trailer was identified as Timothy Andre Stedman, 45, of Fuquay Varina. While Stedman was not injured in the collision, both the driver and passenger of the Honda were killed instantly upon impact.
The two were later identified as Leonardo Avila Gomez, 18, of Clinton and Isabel Marie Hepworth, 19, of Faison.
Clinton Fire Department assisted Turkey Fire Department with the extrication of the victims, Fire Chief Hagan Thornton said. Fayetteville Fire Department’s hazmat team was also called in to secure a fuel leak from the 18-wheeler, he shared.
As of press time, no further information has been released.