By Lance Martin

rrspin.com

PLEASANT HILL – A Midlothian, Virginia man died early Friday morning as he was coming off the 180 exit ramp at the intersection of NC 48 / I-95, his brother following him in another vehicle.

Trooper J.D. Warren of the North Carolina Highway Patrol said George Thomas Walker, 59, failed to reduce speed and failed to stop at the stop sign at the top of the northbound exit off I-95 near the Pilot Travel Center.

Warren said the man’s brother had estimated he was driving the vehicle at 80 miles per hour. Walker crashed the 2005 Saturn into a line of trees across NC 48.

He was not wearing a seat belt and was pronounced dead at the scene by Northampton County paramedics.

Warren said there was no suspicion of alcohol use in the crash, which occurred shortly before 1 a.m.

Gaston Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ed Porter Jr. said in a statement that Walker was trapped in the vehicle and was extricated by firefighters.

NC 48 was closed for two hours following the crash.

(Lance Martin is Editor and Publisher of www.rrspin.com. This article is republished with his permission.)