ROCKINGHAM — A federal highway became a rocky road Friday afternoon after a dump truck flipped and spilled its load.

The truck’s driver, Laverne Isaac Jr., of Patrick, South Carolina, was heading south on US 1 and going too fast around a curve with a full load of gravel when he ran off the road and over-corrected, causing the truck to flip over on its side, according to Trooper L.C. Palmiter with the N.C. State Highway Patrol.

Palmiter said she measured 243 feet of skid marks before the truck impacted the road. After it flipped, she said it skidded 164 feet before coming to rest partially off the road, dumping the rocks onto the highway.

Patrick was driving for Buchanan Industrial Maintenance out of Cheraw, S.C.

Cordova Fire and Rescue members were the first to arrive on the scene when the call went out around 1:43.

The two-mile stretch of road— between Hamer Mill and Osborne roads — was shut down for 2½ hours before the path was cleared by the N.C. Department of Transportation at 4:15.

The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office had the highway blocked on both sides of the crash site. Southbound traffic — a combination of passenger vehicles and tractor-trailers — was turned around at a wide driveway just around the curve from the wreck.

No other vehicles were involved.

Although not seriously injured, Patrick did have a few cuts but declined treatment at the scene, according to Palmiter.

Patrick is charged with exceeding safe speed and failing to maintain lane control, she said.

Reach William R. Toler at 910-817-2675.

William R. Toler | Daily Journal A dump truck is flipped on its side, its contents spread across a section of US 1, following a single-vehicle wreck early Friday afternoon.
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/web1_dumptruckflip.jpgWilliam R. Toler | Daily Journal A dump truck is flipped on its side, its contents spread across a section of US 1, following a single-vehicle wreck early Friday afternoon.
Load of gravel spilled on US 1

By William R. Toler

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