Deputies share new details after jail van hits driver on Union County highway

UNION COUNTY, N.C. — The Union County Sheriff’s Office has shared new details with Channel 9 about a crash earlier this month when a jail transport van hit the driver of a car sitting on Highway 74.

Deputies said on the morning of Jan. 12, a Union County deputy was driving a jail transportation van with six inmates inside. The van had left from the Union County jail minutes before the crash and got onto Highway 74 to head for the Union County courthouse.

As the van got closer to Acme Drive, deputies said the driver was forced to quickly avoid hitting a car parked in the right lane of Highway 74.

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Deputies said the van successfully avoided hitting the back of the car. However, as it passed on the left, the van’s passenger side mirror hit the driver of the sitting car while he was in the roadway walking back toward the driver’s side door, according to deputies. Authorities believed he was hit while picking up an item from the highway that had fallen from the car.

Union County authorities said the deputy driving the jail van stopped it immediately, reported the crash, and asked for additional officers and medical assistance for everyone involved in the crash.

The officers who responded helped the driver of the sitting car until EMS arrived.

All six of the inmates who were passengers in the van were taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure, deputies said. They were all discharged with no injuries and they were either returned to the jail or taken to the courthouse for their scheduled appearances after they were released from the hospital.

The person who was hit by the van’s side mirror was also taken to the hospital and was in stable condition before he was discharged.

Authorities said the deputy driving the van was not hurt and is still employed by UCSO. Due to the ongoing investigation, UCSO said the deputy’s identity cannot be released at this time. Deputies said if discipline is warranted, it will be treated as a “confidential personnel matter.”

North Carolina State Highway Patrol investigated the accident. Channel 9 has reached out for more information on the cause of the crash.

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