New Jersey woman dies following I-95 crash

ROANOKE RAPIDS — A New Jersey woman died Sunday morning following a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 95 Friday afternoon.

The initial wreck occurred in the southbound lane of the interstate near the Highway 561 exit, when a tractor-trailer struck a 1972 Volkswagen towed by a Chevrolet Blazer, Trooper J.D. Warren of the N.C. Highway Patrol said this morning.

The Volkswagen detached from the trailer and shot across the median into the northbound lane where it struck a van being driven by Edwin Rumer of Palmero, N.J. Mr. Rumer’s wife, Michelle, 65, who died, was the front seat passenger.

When struck by the Volkswagen, the van Mr. Rumer was driving overturned and ran off the right shoulder.

Mrs. Rumer was flown to Pitt Memorial Hospital in Greenville where she died Sunday morning, Warren said. Mr. Rumer, who was also flown to Pitt, was treated and released, the trooper said.

Warren said the truck driver, Steven Bryant, 48, of Courtland, Va,, was probably driving about 70 mph while the vehicle towing the car was probably running about 63 to 65 mph. “The truck driver didn’t notice him and ran into the back,” Warren said. Warren said one of the people involved in the accident told him “when the truck hit the Bug it shot across the median like a bullet.” Bryant was cited for failure to reduce speed. More charges could be filed pending further investigation, said Warren.