One man died and another was seriously injured after crashing into a tree in a stolen car on Old N.C. 86 on Monday night, state troopers said.
Pending notification of family, the name of the person who died cannot be released, N.C. Highway Patrol trooper Mark Melvin said.
The stolen red 2005 Honda Civic was traveling south on N.C. 86 near New Hope Church Road when it went off the road into a muddy ditch, hit a few logs and then hit a tree, where it stopped, Melvin said.
Troopers believe one person was ejected from the car then died, he said. The other, whose name has also not been released, crossed the street to a home’s driveway with what troopers believe was a broken leg before he was transported to UNC Hospitals, Melvin said.
“This guy with a broken leg, of course, he’s claiming he wasn’t the driver,” Melvin said. “But we don’t know who drove and who was the passenger.”
Passersby reported the incident at about 7:50 p.m. Orange County deputies, Orange County Emergency Medical Services and state troopers responded.
The car was reported stolen in Burlington, Melvin said.
Troopers got measurements of the car’s resting position before towing it out.
