Road construction, accident stalls traffic on Interstate 40

Car stopped for roadwork is hit from behind.

Credit: Robert C. Reed | Hickory Daily Record

North Carolina State Highway Patrol troopers collect information at the scene of a two-car accident on Interstate 40 on Tuesday morning that sent one person to the hospital. ON page A1: Westbound traffic was at a standstill after the accident closed the interstate.

By: Richard Gould | Hickory Daily Record
Published: August 12, 2009

CONOVER --

Stopped traffic led to a two-car collision that closed the westbound lanes of Interstate 40 Tuesday morning.

Barbara Tinn of Catawba said she was driving in her Honda Pilot in the left lane and stopped when she saw traffic had stopped in front of her.

"All of a sudden we got hit really hard in the back and the car spun around," said Paula Rhodes, who was a passenger in the vehicle. "It was totally unexpected."

Rhodes said the impact was so severe that it knocked her and Tinn's shoes off and they had to search for them before getting out of the car.

"We're lucky to be alive. This is our lucky day," Rhodes said.

The car that struck the Honda was a blue 1990 Toyota Corolla driven by Cleis Bonham, 20.

Bonham was pinned in her vehicle and the Catawba EMS extracted her, said investigating officer L.M. Lusk of the Highway Patrol.

Bonham was transported to Catawba Valley Medical Center.

"She was hurt badly. She was bleeding," Rhodes said.

Lusk said the accident does not appear to have been alcohol-related.

"They were stopped for road construction and Ms. Bonham apparently didn't see them and apparently ran into them," he said.

Bonham was charged at the hospital with failure to reduce speed.

Reports that two victims were airlifted from the scene were erroneous.

The westbound lanes were reopened about an hour later.