The driver of a dump truck was airlifted to ECU Health in Greenville after the bed of his truck clipped overhead utility cables and then struck the Hedgepeth Road bridge Thursday morning.

Trooper J.T. Keeter of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol said the driver of the dump truck, Trent Stanley, of Greenville, was in stable condition this morning.

The crash occurred shortly after 5:45 a.m. in the northbound lane of Interstate 95 in the Darlington community.

Stanley had just dumped a load for a construction project in the area. He used the 160 on-ramp to get back on the interstate with the bed of the dump truck still in the upright position.

All gallery photos contributed

• Click to open image! Click to open image!
• Click to open image! Click to open image!
• Click to open image! Click to open image!
• Click to open image! Click to open image!
•  

The bed clipped overhead utility cables which took the cables down as well as the utility poles, Keeter said. Stanley then hit the Hedgepeth Road bridge.

The impact flipped the dump truck, crushed the cab and broke the vehicle’s chassis in three places.

Two vehicles in the southbound lane struck the downed cables but there were no injuries to those occupants.

After the crash, people stopped to assist Stanley. They cut the seat belt to get him out and he was soon airlifted to Greenville.

Keeter said further investigation will determine whether charges will be filed.

The crash shut down the southbound lane for 10 to 15 minutes and the northbound lane for almost two hours.

The sheriff’s offices of Halifax and Nash counties responded along with the Darlington and Enfield fire departments and Halifax EMS.