WINTON – Two people were killed, including an Ahoskie woman, and two others injured during a wreck here early Saturday afternoon.

According to reports, Joan Ardeen Reid, 57, of the Ahoskie-Cofield Road was killed instantly when the 2005 Pontiac she was operating south on US 13 collided head-on with a northbound vehicle.

The driver of the northbound vehicle, Barry Horton, 44, of Greenville, was trapped inside his 2006 Chrysler. He died at the scene a short time later.

Two passengers inside Horton’s vehicle were injured and taken to Pitt County Memorial Hospital in Greenville. They were Rhea Etoy Hayward, 39, and Rodney Joseph Henry Jr., 16, both of Greenville.

A hospital spokesman said Hayward was treated and released. He added there was no listing of a Rodney Joseph Henry Jr. as a patient at Pitt Memorial.

North Carolina State Highway Patrol Trooper N.L. Harrison investigated the 2 p.m. accident on the Hertford County side of the Thad Eure Bridge at Winton. His report showed that Reid’s vehicle apparently crossed the centerline and struck Horton’s car head-on.

Following impact, Horton’s car traveled off the northbound shoulder of the road and struck a guardrail. Reid’s vehicle came to rest in the roadway.

NCHP First Sgt. Kenny Pitts said that although he is awaiting the Medical Examiner’s report, it did not appear alcohol was involved. He said both drivers and all passengers were wearing seat belts and that the air bags in each vehicle deployed.

Traffic was tied-up on US 13 for two hours.

Saturday’s double fatality brought the number to 22 of those killed in the NCHP Troop A-2 District (Bertie, Gates, and Hertford) since Jan. 1. Nine of those fatalities have occurred in Hertford County.

First Sgt. Pitts said the 22 fatalities is one more than was recorded in all of 2005 and expressed concern with the busy Christmas holiday travel season just around the corner.