ROCKINGHAM — Two people are dead following an early-morning wreck with a tractor-trailer at the South Carolina state line.

According to the N.C. State Highway Patrol the 911 call reporting the wreck came in at 3:26 a.m.

Troopers say four-door Honda passenger car was travelling north on U.S. 1 from South Carolina when it crossed the center line and collided head-on with an 18-wheeler. The car was split in half and the two occupants — Traquan Wall and Malik Johnson, both of Rockingham — were killed on impact.

Troopers say the driver of the tractor-trailer tried to avoid the wreck and ran off the road. A combination of overcorrecting and the impact with the car caused the rig to flip over onto the passenger side, blocking both lanes of traffic.

Traffic was diverted around the scene until the road opened back around 1:30 p.m.

The tractor-trailer driver’s name was not available at the time. He was taken to FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital-Richmond (formerly Richmond Memorial Hospital) for treatment of minor injuries and later released.

Troopers say there is no suspicion of drugs or alcohol involved at this time, but a toxicology report from the medical examiner will be released at a later date.

Cordova Fire and Rescue, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and FirstHealth EMS also responded to the crash.

Troopers also say a log truck driver is in critical condition after flipping his truck late Monday morning.

The truck was heading north on N.C. 109, just north of the Anson County line, just before 11 a.m. when the driver crossed the center line, overcorrected and overturned, according to troopers.

The logs rolled off into an adjacent field and no other vehicles were involved.

Troopers say the road was blocked until about 2:30 p.m.

The driver was airlifted from the scene to UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill.

His name is not yet being released.

https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/web1_troopercar_cmyk-3.jpg

By William R. Toler

[email protected]