Child airlifted after wreck on Shue Road

Sunday, October 04, 2009 3:00 AM  |  Printer friendly version | E-mail to a friend | By Hugh Fisher

hfisher@salisburypost.com

CHINA GROVE — A collision Saturday night at the intersection of Shue and Corriher Gravel roads injured seven people.

One child was airlifted to Carolinas Medical Center. But Deputy Chief Jimmy Wilhelm of Locke Fire Department said he did not believe any of the injuries from the crash were life-threatening.

"It was primarily due to the child's age" that the decision to airlift was made, Wilhelm said.

Wilhelm said he had no further information on injuries.

According to Betty and Jim Corriher, whose home is located on Corriher Gravel Road at the intersection, the wreck happened just about 6 p.m.

A family member at the scene identified one of the drivers as C.R. Trexler and said his Dodge Durango was heading south, with Trexler's father and two nieces as passengers at the time of the crash.

The family member had spoken to Trexler and said he remembered nothing of the impact.

According to people gathered at the scene, the other vehicle involved, a Toyota 4runner, was driven by a female with two passengers, a baby and a young girl who was the person airlifted.

No one at the scene witnessed the crash itself. "We only heard it," Betty Corriher said.

But she and her neighbors said that crashes happen at this intersection frequently.

"We have a wreck here about every three to six months," Corriher said.

As soon as she heard the impact, she dialed 911.

Michelle Erwin, who lives on the opposite corner from the Corrihers, also heard the crash and came out to see if she could do anything.

"This happens all the time," Erwin said.

Both Erwin and Corriher said residents have asked for a traffic light or some other way of slowing motorists at this intersection.

Trooper C.M. Agner of the North Carolina Highway Patrol responded to the wreck. Locke Fire Department and Rowan County EMS responded to the accident.