Deadly Columbus County crash prompts calls for intersection safety review
COLUMBUS COUNTY (WWAY) — Community members are calling for a closer look at a Columbus County intersection where a mother and daughter were killed earlier this month, prompting a request for the North Carolina Department of Transportation to conduct a safety review.
Family and friends gathered at Cedar Baptist Church in Cerro Gordo on July 16 to honor the lives of 29-year-old Amanda Green and her 11-year-old daughter, Bella Powell.
The two were killed in a crash July 10 at the intersection of Rough and Ready Road and Hinsons Crossroads Road.
According to court records, 69-year-old Patricia Jackson of Fayetteville has been charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle, reckless driving and failure to stop at a stop sign.
Since the crash, memorials have been placed both at the intersection and at West Columbus School in memory of Green and Powell.
As the community continues to grieve, questions about the safety of the intersection have begun to grow. Those concerns were raised during Monday’s Columbus County Board of Commissioners meeting.
“I’ve had a lot of people come and see me about it, and I think DOT may need to look at it,” said Commissioner Ricky Bullard.
Bullard said residents have expressed concerns about the visibility of the stop sign at the intersection.
“There is a crate myrtle tree that’s kind of hiding that stop sign a little bit, and I think that any stop sign anywhere in the county, it needs to be very visible. You know, a mom and a young girl lost their life because that car run that stop sign. Not saying that was the reason, but I’m saying it could have been a part of the reason,” said Bullard.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation confirmed it has received a request to review the intersection.
“It’s routine for us to conduct a safety review when there is a fatal crash. We will await the final investigative report from the SHP and then start our investigation based on the details in the report,” the department said in a statement.
According to NCDOT, the review will include a site visit, an analysis of the intersection’s crash history and consideration of other factors, including traffic volumes.
In the meantime, Green and Powell continue to be remembered by those whose lives they touched.
“I remember Bella having a smile that would light up a room, and it wasn’t just the smile on her face; it was the joy she shared with everyone around her.”
