WINDSOR – A local man driving for a Bertie County farming operation was tragically killed near here Friday in a single-vehicle crash on US 17 bypass.

Lacy Merle White Jr., 42 of Windsor, died after a grain truck he was operating ran off the right side of the road and struck some trees, causing the 2005 International 18-wheeler to jackknife and erupt in flames.

According to North Carolina Highway Patrol Trooper C.W. Godwin, who investigated the accident scene, White was trapped inside the cab.

The accident, Godwin said, occurred shortly after 12 noon. At that time, White was operating the truck southbound on US 17, approximately two miles north of the Wakelon Road intersection.

Other than the truck traveling off the roadway, Godwin said there appeared not to be any other contributing factors to the fatal accident.

Godwin added that an autopsy was performed, but he did not have the results as of Tuesday.

The NCHP Trooper added that both the Windsor and Merry Hill/Midway fire departments responded to the accident scene, as did Bertie County EMS and Emergency Management.

US 17 was blocked off for a short time as emergency responders worked the scene, Godwin said.

The fatality was the 12^th of the year in the Highway Patrol’s Troop A / District II area (Bertie, Hertford and Gates counties). Seven of those fatalities have occurred in Bertie County.