Four-car wreck at popular holiday display

A four-car collision near a popular Christmas-light display outside Vanceboro shut down part of U.S. 17 for at least two hours Tuesday night.

The wreck happened around 7:30 p.m., near the Christmas display that is put up annually by the Wetherington and Willis families, not far from the rest area between Vanceboro and Ernul. That display, which covers several buildings and yards with lights and other holiday decorations, regularly  draws visitors from all over Eastern North Carolina and beyond, and their vehicles line both shoulders of the road along U.S. 17.

Authorities from the N.C. Highway Patrol say a woman was attempting to pass a family’s vehicle when she struck several vehicles, including cars parked on the shoulders along U.S.  17. They say alcohol was a factor in the wreck.

Sandra Baldree of Greenville was headed south on U.S.  17 when she attempted to pass the vehicle driven by Arthur Smith of Washington, N.C., according to Trooper R.A. Woods with the highway patrol. Smith’s family members, including two children, were in his vehicle.

“She (Baldree) was attempting to pass in a congested area when she clipped that vehicle and then collided with another car on the shoulder,” Woods said.

When the car on the shoulder was hit, that reaction caused another car to get hit.

The two cars on the shoulder of U.S. 17 that were hit were driven by Joseph Wetherington of Ernul and Mary Fulcher of Stacy. 

Names of additional passengers were not released, but at least 10 people were affected. Some of them were out of the cars at the time.

No one was seriously injured, Woods said.

Charges are pending against Baldree, who will be charged with driving while impaired, reckless driving and violating the state’s open-container law.

“A lot of people are out and about this time of year,” Woods said. “It’s better to be cautious, to slow down and to be aware of your surroundings.”

At the intersection of N.C. 43 and U.S. 17, traffic was rerouted so that northbound travelers would steer clear of the crash.

Nikie Mayo can be reached at 252-635-5665 or nmayo@freedomenc.com.