According to the North Carolina Highway Patrol, a tractor-trailer truck, driven by Steven Garland Starnes, of Mt. Olive, was traveling southbound on U.S. 1 when it rear-ended a vehicle parked at a stoplight. The tractor-trailer then continued across a grass median into the northbound lane, where it struck a second vehicle.
The tractor-trailer then went of the shoulder, striking four parked cars in front of A-1 Auto & Body Shop near Highway 78 in Lee County. Two of the cars were for sale, one belonged to a businessman and one to a customer, authorities said.
The tractor trailer then turned over on its right side and diesel fuel spilled onto the road.
The driver of the car that was initially hit by the tractor-trailer suffered only minor injuries. Michael Anthony Mangum, of Knightdale, was taken to Central Carolina Medical Center, where he was treated and later released.
Starnes was charged with failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and careless and reckless driving.
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