91.5 Chapel Hill 88.9 Manteo 90.9 Rocky Mount 91.1 Welcome 91.9 Fayetteville 90.5 Buxton 94.1 Lumberton 99.9 Southern Pines 89.9 Chadbourn

Trucker Arrested After I-40 Crash

The driver of the tractor-trailer involved in yesterday's multi-vehicle crash on I-40 has been arrested on multiple charges. Three people died in the accident.

Ronald Eugene Graybeal has been charged with felony death by vehicle, two counts of misdemeanor death by vehicle, and possession of drugs. He also was charged with D-W-I for being under the influence of drugs.

Authorities say Graybeal was driving east on I-40 near 15-501 about 4 pm yesterday when he crashed into the back of a Ford F-250 truck, starting a chain reaction.

The three people who died have all been identified. They are: John Llanio of Kannapolis, Barbara Caldwell of Mebane, and Gary Dwayne Smith of Burlington.

Graybeal was not inured. He's in a Durham County jail on half-a-million-dollar bond.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
Dave DeWitt is WUNC's Supervising Editor for Politics and Education. As an editor, reporter, and producer he's covered politics, environment, education, sports, and a wide range of other topics.
More Stories
  1. Autopsy finds North Carolina man died of 'sudden cardiac arrest' during police confrontation
  2. North Carolina sees increase in child homicides, suicides
  3. Ex-U.S. women’s national team star goalkeeper Hope Solo arrested on DWI, child abuse charges
  4. Portions of Interstate 40 to be named for UNC's Smith, Williams
  5. Two Duke men's basketball players face DWI-related charges