Five killed in crash in Cumberland County, tractor trailer driver cited for not having license

At about 2:45 p.m. Sunday, the State Highway Patrol responded to a crash involving a tractor-trailer and an SUV near U.S. Highway 13 at Hayfield Road near Eastover.

There were five passengers in the SUV, and four of them died at the scene. Two have been identified as Gabriel Antonio Autry, 36, and London N. Autry, 11, both victims from Stedman.

Neighbors said the crash sounded like a bomb going off.

WRAL's Sky 5 flew over the scene while officials investigated the area.

The SUV caught on fire and became engulfed in flames, according to the N.C. State Highway Patrol.

According to an officer at the scene, witnesses said an SUV ran through a stop sign at the intersection. A tractor-trailer hit the SUV with such force that all five occupants were ejected from the car.

The N.C. State Highway Patrol said one of the passengers from the SUV was lying in the roadway unconscious when emergency personnel arrived. After being airlifted to the hospital, that person later died.

The driver of the tractor-trailer, Tyrik Bannerman, 27, was also sent to the hospital with minor injuries.

Bannerman was cited for not having a driver license with him at the time of the crash.

The owner of the trucking company Bannerman worked for said he had just returned to work two weeks ago after taking time off.

U.S. 13 was closed for over six hours while officials investigated the scene.