Driver Dies After Bypassing Barricade on Damaged Highway

A fatal accident occurred on a hurricane-damaged highway in North Carolina when a driver bypassed a barricade and veered off the roadway. The incident took place on Interstate 40, near Tennessee, an area heavily affected by Hurricane Helene. The highway, marked by extensive lane damage, became notorious after Helene's devastation left it virtually impassable.

Emergency responders from North Carolina and Tennessee were dispatched following reports of a vehicle off the collapsed road. The vehicle, found 100 feet down an embankment, was accessed by crews who rappelled down the steep slope. The lone occupant, a 63-year-old North Carolina woman, was extricated from the wreckage and transported to a hospital where she later succumbed to her injuries. Sergeant Brandon Miller from the North Carolina State Highway Patrol confirmed her identity.

The highway closure has been ongoing since Helene's floods washed away significant portions of the interstate. The North Carolina Department of Transportation aims to reopen a lane in each direction by the year's end. Mahoney entered I-40 at the 7-mile marker and was traveling against the traffic flow when the tragic incident occurred near the 4-mile marker. An investigation into the crash, including an autopsy, is underway. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)