4 killed, 2 injured when car hits guardrail; driver died while trying to stop traffic

PITT COUNTY, N.C. — Four people died and two others were injured Saturday evening after a vehicle struck a guardrail on a North Carolina highway, authorities said. One of the victims was the driver, who survived the crash but was struck and killed while trying to stop traffic.

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According to North Carolina State Highway Patrol Master Rico L. Stephens, the crash occurred around 11:48 p.m. EDT, WNCT-TV reported.

Stephens said Suhziah Spruill, 22, of Snow Hill, North Carolina, was heading north on State Route 903 at “a high rate of speed” when he left the road to the right and struck a guard -body, according to WITN-TV.

Five passengers in the vehicle were not wearing seat belts and were ejected from the vehicle, WNCT reported.

Three passengers died at the scene and two others were transported to ECU Health Medical Center in Greenville with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, according to WCTI-TV.

The three victims, all from North Carolina, were identified as Nykwon Coppedge, 22, of Snow Hill; Zykhia Connor, 18, of Grifton; and Amoni Spruill, 20, of Farmville, according to the television station.

After the crash, Suhziah Spruill got out of her vehicle and stepped onto the roadway in an attempt to stop traffic, WNCT reported. He was hit by a Kia Forte and died instantly, according to the television station.

The driver of the Forte, who has not been identified by authorities, will not be charged, police said.

An investigation is underway.