WILKES COUNTY, N.C. — A 48-year-old Yadkinville man was killed Saturday afternoon in a dump truck crash on US 421 in Wilkes County, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.
The victim was identified as Alberto Maya Benitez, who died from his injuries at the scene.
The crash happened at 12:18 p.m. at the 270-mile marker near the Dennyville Road exit. State troopers said Benitez was traveling east in the right lane in a white Freightliner dump truck when another vehicle attempted to merge onto the highway. Benitez swerved to avoid contact, sending the truck off the left side of the road.
The truck hit a guardrail and the end of a bridge before traveling over the edge and landing on Dennyville Road below.
Benitez was wearing his seat belt, and troopers determined that alcohol was not a contributing factor in the crash.