North Carolina Church Van Crash Leaves At Least 2 Dead, 11 Hurt

ROLESVILLE, NC — At least two people are dead and 11 others were hurt when a church van from Smithfield hit a deer and then smashed head-on into an SUV near Raleigh, authorities said. The crash happened around 5:40 p.m. Sunday near Rolesville, media outlets reported.

The van, which had been heading south on state Route 96, belonged to First Missionary Baptist Church. Investigators said the van also sideswiped a second van before crashing head-on into an SUV, which went into the water.

Deborah Powell, 62, of Roxboro, was driving the SUV. She died at the scene.

William Henderson Clayton, 84, a passenger in the church van, also died at the scene.

Eleven passengers in the church van were taken to area hospitals.

A man involved in the crash said a deer had run onto the road and the church van swerved to avoid it. State troopers told troopers told WNCN-TV that parts of a dead deer were found on the roadway at the crash site.

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