Icy Conditions, Speed Contribute To Fatal Nash Wreck

NASHVILLE, N.C. — The state Highway Patrol said the wintry conditions contributed to a fatal accident Thursday in Nash County.

Authorities said Dr. Jose Guijarro, 50, a vascular surgeon from Goldsboro, was traveling westbound on U.S. Highway 264 near N.C. Highway 231 at about 7:30 a.m. when he lost control of his pickup truck.

"He probably changed lanes slightly. The vehicle went into a skid, careened off the road, and after you go off the road, you lose control," said 1st Sgt. Keith Stone of the Highway Patrol.

According to authorities, Guijarro ran off the road and hit a tree. He was wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, authorities said.

Troopers said speed also played a factor in the accident.

A representative from Wayne Memorial Hospital said Guijarro spent his residency in New Mexico and went to medical school at the University of Oklahoma. He worked at Eastern Carolina Surgical Associates.