Chapel Hill woman killed in head-on crash with fuel tanker on I-40 in Pender County

PENDER COUNTY, NC — A Chapel Hill woman was killed and a fuel tanker driver suffered minor injuries in a head-on crash Thursday afternoon on Interstate 40 in Pender County, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.

Troopers identified the victim as Rebecca Rains of Chapel Hill.

The crash occurred near the 393-mile marker in the Watha area.

According to investigators, Rains was driving west on Interstate 40 when she lost control of her vehicle, crossed the median through the cable barrier and entered the eastbound lanes. Her vehicle then collided head-on with an empty fuel tanker truck.

Rains was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the tanker truck sustained minor injuries.

The crash prompted the closure of portions of Interstate 40 Thursday afternoon. As of Thursday evening, one eastbound lane remained closed while crews worked to remove the damaged tanker and clean up spilled diesel fuel. The passenger vehicle was removed from the scene earlier in the evening.

The North Carolina State Highway Patrol continues to investigate the cause of the crash.