Second person dies after crash involving Pender County ambulance
BURGAW, NC (WWAY) — A second woman has died as a result of an accident in Pender County which involved an ambulance on Highway 117 near St. Helena on Thursday, August 3.
Five vehicles were involved in the crash including a Pender County EMS vehicle.
The North Carolina Highway Patrol said Cassandra Nicole Soga, 34, of Rocky Point was driving a mid-size SUV that collided head on with the ambulance.
Soga was charged with DWI, reckless driving, and driving left of center. She was hospitalized in critical condition.
On Monday, Trooper J. Justice told WWAY that Soga died on Saturday, August 12th and the highway patrol is awaiting a final report of the pending blood results from the state crime lab.
As a result of Soga’s death, the highway patrol said no further charges will be pursued and the initial charges against her will be dismissed.
Two of EMS workers, Holly Bauer and Catherine Wortman, were also hospitalized following the collision. Wortman was discharged last week but Bauer is still hospitalized.
Lynnette Smalley, a 54-year-old woman from Jacksonville, was being transported in the back of the ambulance for a procedure when the crash occurred. She died at the scene, the highway patrol said.
