Families of women killed in pond crash say deaths preventable
ROBESON COUNTY, N.C. (WPDE) — Families of three women killed in Robeson County believe their deaths could have been prevented.
The families of three women killed last Wednesday in a crash on Maxton Pond Road in Robeson County believe their deaths could have been prevented if barriers were at the road indicating that it wasn't passable.
Crews put up four metal posts the day after the crash at the portion of Maxton Pond or Hayes Road that's washed-out, barring people from going to that area of the pond or driving on the road.
The crew chief said they were putting up the posts at the request of the Lumbee Tribal Council.
Last May, an official with the Tribal Council said they owned and were overseers of the pond.
Calls to the Lumbee Tribal Council haven't been returned at this point.
Sgt. Smith with North CarolinaHighway Patrol said Danielle Locklear, 30, Anastasia Locklear, 25, and Tiffany Goins, 26, died in the crash.
Smith says their vehicle had been traveling on Hayes Road, of which part of the road had been washed-out. The car traveled off the road, down an embankment and struck a concrete slab in the pond. The car became submerged in 20-feet of water.
Sgt. Smith says the part of the road that was washed-out is not state-maintained, though it's unclear which entity is responsible for it.
The road had been previously washed out, but Sgt. Smith isn't sure when it happened.
The victims' families and friends attended Thursday's Lumbee Tribal Council meeting at their facility in Pembroke and a couple of them spoke during the public comment period.
They're upset that there weren't barriers or road closed signs indicating the road is not passable because it's washed out.
“A lot of people still to this day didn’t know this bridge was out until this tragedy happened, and even as tonight as her dear friends spoke, they still didn’t-- nothing," said Teresa Locklear, whose daughter was killed in the crash.
The Lumbee Tribal Council thanked everyone who spoke during the public comment period.
The victims' families were upset the governing body didn't specifically address their concerns.
