WAKE COUNTY, NC — A 13-year-old was killed and another person was injured Saturday morning when a pickup crashed on Interstate 540 at the Neuse River Bridge in Wake County. The North Carolina Highway Patrol said the driver has now been charged in the deadly wreck.
How It Happened
Troopers said the crash happened around 9:45 a.m. in the eastbound lanes of I-540. According to investigators, a 2008 Ford F-350 Super Duty driven by Joshua Phillip Lewis, 36, was traveling in the middle lane when its front left tire blew out.
Highway Patrol said Lewis overcorrected, causing the truck to veer left and sideswipe a 2017 Dodge Charger in the left lane. The pickup then hit the median guardrail, overturned down a steep embankment and landed on its roof.
Victims And Injuries
The front right passenger in the truck, a 13-year-old, was pronounced dead at the scene. Lewis was taken to WakeMed with injuries from the crash. The driver of the Charger, 67-year-old Ulysses Harris, was not hurt.
Charges Filed
State troopers said Lewis was charged with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle and unsafe tires. Officials have not said whether additional charges are possible as the case continues.
The crash remains under investigation, and authorities have not released any further details about the teen or the passengers involved.
Traffic Impact
The wreck shut down lanes for several hours while crews and investigators worked the scene. The closure backed up eastbound traffic on a major Wake County commuter route before the roadway reopened…