SPENCER, N.C. — The Spencer police chief said five people were killed in a car wreck Friday on South Rowan Avenue. At least two killed were children, according to Capt. Chris Warr with the Rowan County EMS.
The wreck was at South Rowan Avenue and 11th Street in Spencer. The crash happened around 8:15 p.m.
Police said a GMC Envoy was traveling north on South Rowan Avenue with nine people.
The vehicle ran off the road on the left and struck a tree. The driver, Angela Monique Dunlap of Spencer, 28, was killed in the collision.
Four other occupants were killed in the collision, identified as Sean Javan Jacobs, 25, of Salisbury, Da'ja Armoni Cathcart, 10, of Salisbury, Karizma Nicole Sexton, 4, of Salisbury and Vincent Eugene McNeal, 46, of Salisbury.
Officials said the vehicle was on fire when crews arrived. Two people were taken to Rowan Regional Medical Center. Three were airlifted to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and Carolinas Medical Center.
Taliah Williams, 8, Davion Williams, 6, and Javion Williams, 6, were passengers in the vehicle and remain hospitalized at Brenner Children's Hospital in Winston-Salem. Another passenger in the vehicle, Charles Z. Patrick, 10, of Salisbury, was treated for minor injuries.
Multiple agencies responded to the crash, including Rowan County EMS, Rowan Rescue, the Spencer Volunteer Fire Department and the Salisbury Fire Department.
The accident is still under investigation, and Salisbury Police Department reconstructionists are assisting in the investigation.
The vehicle that crashed was not involved in a chase with the Spencer Police Department as some are stating on social media sites, according to a news release. Spencer Police Department also expressed condolences to all those who have lost family members in this tragedy, according to the release.
Charles Patrick told Eyewitness News he remembered the crash that killed so many people he loved. The 10-year-old said he was in the back of the SUV with several other children before things got out of control.
"I think she hit a bump and we was swerving around. We hit the tree. A couple people flew out the car," he said.
Patrick said he flew from the vehicle and had several scrapes and bruises on his face. He managed to break open a car window to pull one of his friends to safety.
"I laid down on the ground and waiting till the ambulance came and when the ambulance came they said he had a broken leg," he said.
Moments later the car burst into flames. Three of Da'ja's siblings were rushed to the hospital.
On Saturday, family members and neighbors visited the crash site, leaving balloons and stuffed animals including Da'ja's father.
"She never had any bad faults, just a beautiful young girl. Just pray for us, that's all," said Kentrell Cathcart.
The driver of the SUV was Da'ja's mother and the mother of the three other children who were taken to the hospital.
There was no update on their conditions Saturday. Friends said the driver was headed to visit a family member that night.
Police told Eyewitness News they were investigating whether speed or alcohol played a factor in the crash.
WSOC
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