Police have cited a woman in a Monday morning crash that left a man in critical condition. Witnesses said the woman was speeding before the 9 a.m. wreck on Statesville Boulevard, but she denies it.
Antonio Parker, 32, of Reamer Circle, was going northwest in a Honda Civic and was about to turn in to Integrity Auto Repair in the road’s 1100 block, said Capt. Melonie Thompson of the Salisbury Police.
The other driver, Sara Lemke, of 14th Street, Salisbury, was also traveling northwest in a Mercury van and she struck the Honda from behind, a police report said.
Lemke was cited with speeding and failure to reduce speed. The speed limit in that area is 45 mph and Lemke was driving between 45 and 55 mph, Thompson said.
Witnesses told police Parker stopped to turn left into the auto repair shop when Lemke failed to slow down. Witnesses also said Lemke may have been speeding and was weaving in and out of traffic before the crash.
Lemke told police she was distracted by a large truck blowing smoke from its smoke stack atop the cab of the truck. Lemke said the smoke caught her attention.
Parker was not conscious at the scene and was taken to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center where he remains. Thompson said it did not appear that Parker was wearing a seat belt.