One person was killed in a late-night crash Saturday on Cole Mill Road in northwest Durham, according to authorities. The collision happened shortly before 9 p.m. at the intersection of Cole Mill Road and Nancy Rhodes Drive, just south of the Sparger Road junction. Emergency crews shut down the roadway, sealed off the scene and began combing through debris, at one point marking off two white athletic shoes that ended up on different parts of the street.
Durham police closed both directions of Cole Mill Road between Nancy Rhodes Drive and W Wyndham Lane while they investigated. As of about 11 p.m., the road was still shut down, CBS17 reported. The outlet published on-scene photos credited to Ben Bokun and noted its reporters had reached out to the Durham Police Department for more information.
Where the wreck happened
The crash took place on a stretch of Cole Mill Road near Nancy Rhodes Drive that city documents describe as a connector for nearby neighborhoods and local creeks. Durham's ST-285 project vicinity map positions Nancy Rhodes Drive and Cole Mill Road near W Wyndham Lane and Sparger Road, underscoring how the closure cut off a well-used local route. The intersection and surrounding streets are highlighted in materials from the City of Durham.
Investigation underway
Durham police have not released the identity of the person who died or explained what led up to the crash, according to the station. Investigators roped off the area with crime-scene tape as they documented the site and collected evidence, and CBS17 reported that its newsroom had contacted the Durham Police Department for additional details.
Crash trends in Durham County
Deadly wrecks remain a stubborn problem in Durham County. In recent years, state crash data shows the county has averaged roughly 33 fatal crashes annually. Those figures come from county crash profiles that track fatal and injury collisions over time. The North Carolina Department of Transportation provides the county-level totals and rates.
Road closures and driving tips
Drivers are urged to steer clear of Cole Mill Road in the affected stretch while crews work the scene and the investigation continues. Motorists should follow detour signs, watch for officers directing traffic and keep an eye on updates from the Durham Police Department and local outlets for word on when the road reopens.
