Authorities: Charges Pending Against Trucker Who Started Crash

Asheville, NC Truck Accident

Truck Accident in Asheville, NC

A tractor-trailer driver passed road-work warnings up to a mile before running into the back of an SUV, touching off a chain-reaction crash that critically injured three children and an adult, authorities said.

The children — ages 1,3 and 11 — all suffered life-threatening injuries in the seven-vehicle pileup Tuesday on Interstate 40, east of Asheville, N.C. Highway Patrol Sgt. Pat Staggs said.

The crash was reported about 9:45 a.m. near the Exit 55 off ramp on westbound I-40, Staggs said.

The tractor-trailer driven by Edward Carroll, 60, of Sherman, W.Va., slammed into a Ford Escape stopped in the left lane for a crew trimming trees ahead.

Investigators were unsure how fast the tractor-trailer was traveling at the time of the crash or why Carroll didn’t slow down in time, Staggs said. There were signs up to a mile from the collision alerting motorists to reduce speed and merge into the left lane, he said.

The collision pushed vehicles into the back of other vehicles. Staggs described the scene as chaotic.

“They were like in a string and when he came through, he just mashed them and they started going every which way,” Staggs said. “Some of them stayed with it and kept moving, and some of them were shooting off to the left and right.”

Two children were listed in critical condition late Tuesday at Mission Hospitals. The third was undergoing surgery at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

Another crash victim remained hospitalized at Mission Hospitals in critical condition late Tuesday. One was listed in serious condition at the hospital.

A total of 17 people were involved in the crash.

The pileup shut down westbound I-40 for more than three hours.

The first vehicle struck was driven by Camelia Buchanan, 24, of Marion. Her passengers included Margie Durkee, 54, Cody Buchanan, 11, and Dakota Buchanan, 3.

Durkee and Dakota Buchanan were each listed in critical condition late Tuesday at Mission Hospitals. Camelia Buchanan was listed in serious condition.

Cody Buchanan was transferred to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem in critical condition. He was undergoing surgery late Tuesday.

Haiden Bailey, 1, also was taken to Mission with life-threatening injuries. Haiden was in a vehicle driven by Jennifer Pace, 37, of Old Fort. Pace and her passenger, Kathy King, 21, of Spruce Pine, were taken to the hospital. Their vehicle was the third to last involved in the pileup.

Pace and King were treated and released. Haiden remained at Mission in critical condition late Tuesday.

Others involved were not injured, treated and released or their information was not immediately available.

Carroll, the truck driver, was not injured. Charges are pending, Staggs said. It didn’t appear that drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash, he said.

“We suspect the investigation will continue throughout the next day or so,” Staggs said.

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