Whiteville man struck, killed while checking on crash victim

COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A Whiteville man who got into a car accident near Lake Waccamaw, was struck and killed after he got out of his car to check on the other driver.

Sgt. Brian Ezzell with the NC Highway Patrol says it happened Tuesday just before 7:00 p.m. at the U.S. 74/76 and Chauncey Town Road intersection.

Vaughn Cherry, 74, of Whiteville was at the stop sign and trying to cross over the eastbound lanes of 74/76 when he failed to yield and struck the rear of a car driven by a Wrightsville Beach woman.

She was forced off the road into the ditch with minor injuries.

Sgt. Ezzell says Cherry stopped in the median, got out of his car and was walking across the eastbound lanes to check on the woman when he was hit by a car driven by a Leland man.

Cherry was killed.

The highway patrol said it was dark and the road wasn’t lit, so there’s no indication of any fault for the driver who hit and killed Cherry.