By Shavonne Walker

shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

A Rowan County woman died Wednesday after she lost control of her sport utility vehicle, struck a guardrail and overturned down an embankment on Edmiston Road in western Rowan County.

Brandy Jackie Barnhardt, 41, of Edmiston Road, was traveling south in the 800 block of Edmiston when she ran off the road to the right, N.C. State Highway Patrol Trooper C.T. Walker said.

Barnhardt over corrected the Oldsmobile Bravada, struck a guard rail at a bridge and overturned, the vehicle coming to rest down an embankment at Back Creek, near Mount Ulla.

The vehicle’s airbags deployed, but Barnhardt, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the SUV, Walker said.

The trooper said speed was a contributing factor in the crash. The speed limit on that stretch of road is 55 mph. The incident occurred just after 4:30 p.m.

Family members told the trooper that Barnhardt had been out all day, and they weren’t sure where she was going when the wreck happened.

Passersby performed CPR on Barnhardt, and once firefighters from the West Rowan Fire Department arrived, they took over. They were unable to save her, however. In addition to the West Rowan Fire Department, the Locke Fire Department, Rowan County Rescue Squad and Rowan EMS responded to the scene.

Bags, clothing and other debris from the vehicle were scattered on the roadway and bridge as Highway Patrol troopers worked to determine what happened in the crash. Edmiston Road was blocked off in the 800 to 900 block with traffic being turned around. A few neighbors wandered onto the roadway to get a closer look at the crash site.

Contact reporter Shavonne Walker at 704-797-4253.