Two Austin Musicians Killed in 18-Wheeler Wreck
According to the South Austin Patch, three musicians from Austin, Texas, were involved in a crash with an 18-wheeler on Interstate 95 in North Carolina on Wednesday afternoon.
Heading to Baltimore for a Show
Chris Porter, Mitchell Vandenburg, and Adam Nurre finished up a show in Charleston, South Carolina, the day before. On their way to Baltimore for their next gig, the Austin trio known as Porter & the Bluebonnet Rattlesnakes were caught in a fatal accident.
According to police, the crash occurred around 2:00 p.m. local time on Wednesday near Smithfield, North Carolina, which is southeast of Raleigh. A tractor-trailer traveling behind the trio’s vehicle failed to slow down when approaching stopped traffic, crashing into their vehicle and pushing it into the truck in front of them, according to the South Austin Patch.
The crash involved several vehicles near mile marker 88. Porter and Vandenburg died in the crash, reports the South Austin Patch. Nurre, the drummer of the band, survived the collision from the 18-wheeler. The extent of Nurre’s injuries is currently unknown, reports the South Austin Patch.
Trucking Accident Statistics
The following information regarding large truck traffic crashes is provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
- 3,903 people died in crashes involving large trucks in 2014.
- In addition, in 2014, an estimated 111,000 people were injured in crashes involving large trucks.
- An estimated 438,000 large trucks were involved in police-reported traffic crashes.
- In 2014, 73 percent of people killed in crashes involving large trucks were occupants of other vehicles.
