Man charged with DWI in crash that killed two in Bladen County

BLADEN COUNTY, NC (WWAY) – A mother and child are dead after a crash on Highway 701 Saturday afternoon in Bladen County.

Sgt. Daniel Hilburn, with the NC Highway Patrol, says the crash happened at 3:44 p.m. just north of Elizabethtown, near Sweet Home Church Rd.

Sgt. Hilburn says 64-year-old Kenneth Haselden, of South Carolina, was driving a truck with a closed utility trailer when he rear-ended an SUV driven by Melissa Melvin, who had slowed down for traffic.

After running into the back of Melvin, Haselden crossed the center line and then hit an SUV driven by 30-year-old Liz Mandujano, head-on.  Mandujano died at the scene.  She had three children in the SUV with her. Her 6-year-old daughter was ejected from the vehicle. She was taken to Bladen County hospital and airlifted to another hospital, but died on the way there. Mandujano’s 11-year-old daughter was airlifted to Duke University Medical Center. No word on her condition.  Sgt. Hilburn says neither of the girls were wearing seat belts.

Mandujano’s 1-year-old son was in a car seat. He was also taken to the hospital.

Sgt. Hilburn says the crash also caused Melvin to cross the center line and side-swipe a van driven by Francie Hunter.

Haselden is charged with failure to reduce speed, DWI and two counts of death by motor vehicle.

He is in the Bladen County jail.