First Posted: 1/15/2009
ST. PAULS - A St. Pauls woman was killed in a single-car accident on Saturday, her death being the only one on Robeson County roads during the busy Memorial Day holiday.
Linda Britt Walters, 53, of 203 Hummingbird Lane, was traveling alone when she lost control of her 1997 Oldsmobile on U.S. 301 and it struck a ditch and a driveway culvert. Investigators found no evidence she attempted to brake before the accident, according to First Sgt. K.D. Martin of the state Highway Patrol. The patrol estimated that Walters was driving the posted 55 mph speed limit when the accident happened about 10:15 a.m., three miles south of St. Pauls.
“She just drove across the center line and went off the left side of the road,” Martin said. “In our investigation we had determined she had a history of seizures and we're waiting to find out whether that played a factor in it or not.”
Martin said Walters was wearing a seat belt.
But a lot of motorists didn't as state troopers issued 290 citations as part of a crackdown that will continue until Sunday.
“We average somewhere right around 120 seat-belt charges a week, this week they more than doubled by putting extra focus on seat belts,” Martin said.
The holiday, which marks the unofficial beginning of the summer, filled the highways, especially Interstate 95 and U.S. 74. Martin said there were 28 wrecks last week with at least $1,000 property damage or an injury involved, which is about normal.
