Three dead in head-on collision on I-40 near Newton Grove, police say

Three people are dead, including a 14-year-old, after a crash near Newton Grove early Saturday morning.

2026-05-09

Troopers responded to a crash on I-40 near US-701 involving a Chevrolet Camaro and a Honda Accord around 2:40 a.m., according to North Carolina State Highway Patrol.

They said the driver of the Camaro was driving the wrong way when they hit the Accord head-on.

Both occupants of the Camero were pronounced dead at the scene. The driver was identified as 21-year-old Jonathan Toxtle Zacarias. The passenger was Gabriel Toxtle Zacarias 20, both men were Fayetteville residents. 

A 14-year-old passenger in the Accord was also killed in the crash. The driver was sent to ECU Health Medical Center with serious injuries.

I-40 eastbound was shut down for hours but reopened around 7:30 a.m.