By Shavonne Potts
spotts@salisburypost.com
CONCORD ó A Godwin man was killed early Tuesday when a tractor-trailer carrying a load of cows ran off the road and overturned on Interstate 85.
The driver, Lloyd Ward, 49, 704 Martin Road, Godwin, was partially ejected in the collision. He died at the scene, highway patrol officials said.
According to Sgt. Garrett Barger, Ward did not appear to be wearing his seat belt.
His passenger, Joshua Stedman, also of Godwin, was asleep in the sleeper compartment.
He was taken to Carolinas Medical Center NorthEast where he was treated and released. He received minor injuries, Barger said.
The two men were drivers for Martin’s Abattoir and Wholesale Meats in Godwin, which is in Sampson County.
They were taking turns driving, while the other one slept.
The truck was going north on I-85 at exit 58. Ward ran off the road at the Concord exit and hit the guardrail. He continued on and veered off the right side of the road. He crossed the grassy shoulder and crossed on the ramp and hit a second guardrail where he overturned, Trooper Barger said.
“We don’t know if he had been asleep. We are trying to piece together if he was asleep or had a medical condition,” he said.
The tractor trailer, a 2008 Volvo, was the only vehicle involved. The collision occurred shortly before 4 a.m.
Ward and Stedman were heading to Rimertown to sell and pick up cattle. They were then going to head back to Godwin, Barger said.
Some of the cattle that were being transported died during the accident. There was a total of 33 cows; eight were still missing as of noon today.
Barger said some cows had to be euthanized.
The vehicle had more than $100,000 worth of damages and was declared a total loss.