Tragedy struck Fayetteville twice within hours last night as two separate vehicle-involved incidents claimed the lives of a moped rider and a pedestrian. The first incident occurred around 7:45 p.m. when a moped and a car collided at Hope Mills Road and Poplar Drive near Sherwood Park Elementary School, CBS 17 reported; the moped rider succumbed to their injuries at the scene, according to the Fayetteville Police Department.
Less than two hours later, in a cruel twist of fate, a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle at the intersection of U.S. 401/Raeford Road and Pinewood Terrace, which is at the entrance for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, hope was extinguished as the pedestrian later died at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, police confirmed to CBS 17; the area, lacking in crosswalk and traffic lights, had seen several similar incidents over the last year. The driver of the car involved in the pedestrian accident was reportedly traveling east toward Fayetteville when the pedestrian crossed the road.
The Fayetteville Police Department is withholding the identities of both victims until families are notified, as mentioned by WRAL. Police have ongoing investigations into both crashes and are requesting anyone with information to come forward. WRAL News noted that persons with knowledge regarding the moped accident should call Officer C. Biggerstaff at 910-751-1382, while information on the pedestrian accident should be directed to Officer J. Deal at 910-584-3692.
Fayetteville / Cumberland County Crime Stoppers is also accepting anonymous tips, which can be submitted by calling (910) 483-8477 or through their website, as the community searches for answers and potentially preventative measures in the wake of these losses, as the Fayetteville Observer highlighted.
