Investigator Say Speed Likely Cause Of Fatal Crash Killing Teen

Fuquay-Varina police say Darrell Gunter, 17, was driving a Ford Probe eastbound on Broad Street when he crashed around 2:45 a.m.They say the vehicle was traveling at least 80 mph before it entered a curve and went out of control.

Police said the car went off the right shoulder and sideswiped a utility pole near the intersection of Broad and Ennis Streets. Then it went into a sideways skid and struck a second pole on the driver's door.

Gunter was pinned inside the vehicle and later died at WakeMed.

His passenger, Wesley Tutor, 16, was released from WakeMed Monday afternoon.Both are from the Duncan area of Harnett County and were finishing up their high school credits at Central Carolina Community College.

Police say speed was most likely a factor in the single-car accident. DMV records indicate Gunter did not have a license.

CP&L cut power to about 700 customers while the victims were taken out of the car. The power was restored soon after.

Last week, four Raleigh teenagers were killed when the car they were riding in crossed over several lanes of I-540 and crashed into a van. Excessive speed and driver inexperience were blamed in that crash.