SAMPSON COUNTY, NC — November 1, 2026 Lawa A. Dowdell, 30, of Leland, suffered non-life-threatening injuries Sunday morning after a tractor-trailer and a pickup truck collided head-on along U.S. 421 near River Road 1 in Sampson County.
According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol (NCSHP), Dowdell was operating a 2019 Freightliner tractor-trailer traveling southbound when a northbound 1999 Toyota pickup crossed the centerline and entered its path.
The collision occurred at approximately 7:37 a.m. Both vehicles left the roadway following the impact and subsequently caught fire.
Emergency responders transported Dowdell to Sampson Regional Medical Center for treatment. The 20-year-old woman driving the Toyota pickup, who was from Harrells, died from injuries sustained in the collision.
Authorities reported that the tractor-trailer was transporting methane gas at the time. However, the gas remained secured inside the tanker and did not catch fire. The State Hazardous Materials Response Team also responded to the scene.
