LENOIR COUNTY, NC — October 23, 2026 Martin Simonds, 42, died Friday afternoon after his motorcycle collided with a tractor-trailer at the intersection of N.C. 11 and Grifton Hugo Road in Lenoir County, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.
Troopers reported that Simonds was riding east on Grifton Hugo Road as a southbound tractor-trailer approached the intersection. At approximately 2:17 p.m., the motorcycle entered N.C. 11 without yielding, placing it in the truck’s path. The vehicles collided, ejecting Simonds and his passenger from the motorcycle.
Simonds sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. His passenger was transported to ECU Health Medical Center with injuries described as non-life-threatening.
The tractor-trailer’s 60-year-old driver was not injured. Authorities indicated that no charges were expected because the motorcyclist reportedly failed to yield the right-of-way. The investigation remains focused on the circumstances surrounding the collision.
