Traffic

Driver charged in fatal crash on NC 540 in Cary

A driver has been charged in connection with a July crash on N.C. Highway 540 in Cary that killed a Sanford man and injured his son.

Posted 2019-09-26T17:56:06+00:00 - Updated 2019-09-26T17:40:00+00:00

A driver has been charged in connection with a July crash on N.C. Highway 540 in Cary that killed a Sanford man and injured his son.

Mark Jackson Lawrence, 54, of 194 Northbend Drive in Youngsville, is charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle and failure to reduce speed. He was released on a $5,000 bond Thursday morning.

A father and son stopped on N.C. Highway 540 in Cary Sunday afternoon caused an accident when an on-coming car was unable to avoid them.

Terry Allan North, 54, was northbound with his son in a white Nissan pickup towing a white trailer on July 28 when the trailer came loose, according to the State Highway Patrol. Troopers said the men stopped their truck in the middle lane of N.C. 540 and got out to try to retrieve the trailer.

North was between the trailer and the truck when Lawrence's Jeep came up from behind and was unable to stop, slamming into the trailer, according to the Highway Patrol.

Trey North, 21, was taken to Duke University Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Lawrence suffered minor injuries and was taken to a hospital by his daughter, who was a passenger in his Jeep.