By Shavonne Walker

shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

One person was injured Monday following a collision in which a sport utility vehicle and a tractor-trailer hit head-on, pinning in the driver.

The N.C. Highway Patrol is investigating the collision that tied up N.C. 153 as well as Cannon Farm and Mount Moriah Church roads late into the evening. The crash occurred just after 3 p.m. The driver of the SUV, whose name was not immediately available, was seriously injured and taken to Carolinas Medical Center-NorthEast in Concord.

Trooper K.G. Barringer said the driver of the SUV was traveling east on N.C. 153 while the tractor-trailer was traveling west on N.C. 153. The driver of the SUV was following behind a rollback and passed the tow truck also traveling east. The SUV collided with the tractor-trailer.

The tractor trailer came to rest partially on N.C. 153 and Pethel Road, and the SUV came to rest in the roadway on N.C. 153.

Atwell and Landis fire departments worked to get the driver free of the SUV by using the Jaws-of-Life, said Lt. Spencer Basinger.

Basinger said it took rescuers about 30 minutes to free the driver.

In addition to freeing the driver, firefighters also placed down Oil Dri — a paper towel-like pad used to absorb the diesel spill from the tractor-trailer. Employees with Landis Public Works also used a skid steer to load sand onto the fuel that leaked onto nearby Pethel Road.

Rowan County Rescue Squad, Rowan EMS, Salisbury-Rowan Haz Mat, Landis Police, and Rowan County Emergency Management also responded to the scene.

No other names were immediately available.

Contact reporter Shavonne Walker at 704-797-4253.