KANNAPOLIS, N.C. -- One person died in a multi-vehicle wreck that closed a portion of Interstate 85 for hours Friday afternoon in Kannapolis.
The wreck happened around 1:30 p.m. near Dale Earnhardt Boulevard (mile marker 60) at an overpass when a van traveling south failed to slow down to travel and swerved to avoid hitting a blue truck in front of it. The van crossed over the median and into oncoming traffic, hitting a tractor-trailer head on in the northbound lanes.
Two people in the white van were ejected from the vehicle. The passenger died while the driver is in critical condition at Carolinas Medical Center, Highway Patrol confirmed.
The van hit a green-colored car carrier 18-wheeler, but the driver of that vehicle was not hurt. Both the white van and the blue truck belonged to the same company and were headed to South Carolina.
The southbound lanes re-opened around 2:15 p.m., but all northbound lanes were closed until 4 p.m.
Charges are pending in the wreck, officials said.
