Stanley Teen Killed In Crash Using Cell Phone While Driving

A 16-year-old Stanley girl crashed while using a cell phone and died Sunday night, witnesses and investigators said.

Brittany Johnson, an East Gaston High School student, was driving on Mauney Road toward Stanley when she wrecked at about 6:30 p.m. Troopers said she ran off the right side of the road, struck an embankment, went airborne and then hit a utility pole.

Rescue crews found the teen’s Chevrolet Lumina on its side, and it appeared the top of the car hit the utility pole just above the teen’s head before the car spun around. Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene.

Neighbors who heard the crash ran out to help. Greg Burch said the car was wrapped like a horseshoe around the pole.

“We tried to help her out, but we couldn’t do nothing for her,” Burch said.

Burch said he found Johnson’s cell phone on the ground nearby, and it had an unfinished text message to her mother on the screen.

He said he used the number marked “Mom” to make a heartbreaking phone call.

“I asked her if her daughter drove a green Lumina,” Burch said.

He said he told her to come to the scene quickly, but she asked the question he didn’t want to answer.

“It was tough. She asked me how she was, and I said, ‘I don’t know,’” Burch said.

He said he suspected the worst, but he didn’t want to say it.

On Monday, Johnson’s grandmother hugged Burch and thanked him for making the call.

She whispered a little goodbye as she stared down at the growing memorial of flowers, stuffed animals and notes placed at the scene by friends and supporters.

“It hurts, Brit. It hurts, but I know you are with God now so you'll be OK,” Helen Anderson said.

Anderson said Johnson was her first grandchild. She said she hopes other teens will learn from the tragedy.

“I hope they learn their lesson and don't put their families what we are going through now. Don't text and drive. It's not that important,” she said.

Classmates and friends cried together at the pole Monday. Johnson’s boyfriend put her picture on the pole, and together they silently said goodbye.

“I'll always love her,” Anderson said.

Family members said they are still working on funeral plans. A memorial service for Johnson was held at the First Baptist Church in Stanley on Monday evening.

North Carolina is one of nine states that bans texting for certain groups. In some cases, they restrict drivers younger than 18, and in others, the ban has to do with restrictions on the license, not the driver.

On Dec. 1, North Carolina will join a group of 18 states that have total bans, which restrict all drivers from texting while driving.

South Carolina does not have any sort of cell phone ban, but it could be forced to adopt one if Congress goes ahead with a nationwide ban.

Several studies have indicated how dangerous texting while driving can be. A study from Car And Driver magazine found texting is more dangerous than driving drunk. A study out of Virginia Tech found text messaging could take the driver's eyes off the road for 4.6 seconds. That’s equal to driving the length of a football field at 55 mph

• LINK: Virginia Tech Study On Cell Phone Use And Driving Distraction

• LINK: Car And Driver: Texting While Driving Feature

Previous Stories: June 10, 2009: N.C. Lawmakers Vote to Ban Texting While Driving February 10, 2009: Text-Messaging Ban For N.C. Drivers Sought In House November 16, 2007: Texting Drivers Put Others At Risk