An 8-year-old boy riding in the back seat of an SUV was killed Friday afternoon in Harnett County when a tractor‑trailer plowed into vehicles stopped at a red light, authorities said. The crash on N.C. Highway 24/87 at Olivia Road shoved the SUV into a southbound Chevrolet Tahoe, left at least two people critically hurt, and ended with troopers arresting the truck driver at the scene and booking him into the Harnett County jail.
The N.C. State Highway Patrol said troopers were called at 3:33 p.m. to the intersection, where a 2017 International tractor‑trailer failed to reduce speed and hit a 2026 Hyundai Palisade, according to the News & Observer. The impact pushed the Palisade across the intersection and into a 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe, and troopers said the 8-year-old boy, who was seated in the back, died at the scene. The Palisade’s driver and a 9-year-old passenger were taken to hospitals with serious injuries, while occupants of the Tahoe had only minor injuries, according to troopers.
Court records and troopers identified the truck driver as David Allen Cuellar, 63, of Lake Station, Indiana, and said he was not hurt in the crash, ABC11 reported. Authorities charged Cuellar with misdemeanor death by vehicle and failure to reduce speed, and court documents show he is being held on a $5,000 bond. Prosecutors had not yet said whether they will seek additional charges as the investigation continues.
Nearby surveillance video captured the moment the tractor‑trailer hit the Palisade, showing the SUV being forced across the intersection, WRAL reported. WRAL also said the Palisade’s driver and the injured 9-year-old were flown to a regional trauma center for treatment, while passengers in the Tahoe were treated for minor injuries.
Charges and investigation
Court records reviewed by ABC11 show Cuellar faces misdemeanor death by vehicle and failure‑to‑reduce‑speed charges and is being held on a $5,000 bond. The State Highway Patrol says its investigation is still underway as troopers collect witness statements and other evidence before handing the case to prosecutors. No attorneys for Cuellar or family members of the victims had commented to reporters by press time.
Local safety context
A county crash profile from the N.C. Department of Transportation shows Harnett County records dozens of fatal crashes and hundreds of injury collisions each year, underscoring persistent safety problems on its highways, according to the NCDOT report. Transportation planners use that data to help set priorities for road projects and safety programs across the county.
