By Dave Russell
A Monday, Feb. 27, wreck on U.S. 23/441 sent two women to Mission Hospital in Asheville.
The collision occurred on a rainy day near the runaway truck ramp about 1.3 miles inside the Jackson/Macon line.
Maya Lynn McClanahan, 22, of Newton, was operating a Honda passenger car traveling northbound.
According to the accident report prepared by N.C. Highway Patrol Trooper T.W. Crawford, she lost control, struck the guardrail on the right shoulder, traveled north across all lanes of travel into oncoming southbound traffic.
Traveling southbound in a Volvo SUV was Katrina Marie Williams, 56, of Arden.
Williams struck McClanahan’s Honda on the passenger side door, with both cars coming to rest on the southbound shoulder, Crawford said.
Neither vehicle held a passenger.
McClanahan was transported to Mission by Cherokee Tribal EMS, Crawford said.
“She had head trauma,” he said. “She is recovering now. I talked to her parents. She is responding to commands.”
Williams complained of some pain in her pelvic area and was taken to Mission by Harris EMS.
Weather might have contributed, Crawford said.
“It was raining and I am not saying she (McClanahan) was speeding, but she was probably exceeding a safe speed for conditions,” he said.
He estimated Williams’ speed at 55 mph, the posted speed limit in the area.
Drugs and alcohol are not suspected in the accident and no charges had been filed as of Friday morning.
Drivers were minimally impacted.
“Traffic kept rolling,” Crawford said. “We just closed off one southbound lane.”
In addition to the NCHP, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and Rescue Squad were both on scene, as were the Savannah Fire Department, Harris EMS and Cherokee Tribal EMS.
