Police said a southbound vehicle driven by Teodoro Gomez of Durham crossed the center line and collided with a northbound vehicle driven by Joseph Lester Jr. of Roxboro shortly before 1 a.m. A passenger in Lester's vehicle, Clara Lester of Roxboro, was fatally injured.

Joseph Lester was hospitalized for injuries that do not appear to be life-threatening; Gomez is in critical condition at Duke University Hospital. |

Both vehicles were totaled. | No charges have been filed, but the accident remains under investigation.

A second accident occurred at the same location around 3 a.m. as officers investigated the first accident. Police Cpl. J.D. Piatt parked his patrol car across the southbound lanes to block the road. The patrol car's emergency lights were activated and there were flares on the road near his vehicle. |

The accident happened when a southbound 1992 Buick driven by Bobby Clayton of Warsaw, N.C., did not stop in time and struck the left side of the patrol car.

Piatt suffered a minor head injury. Clayton was not injured. The Buick was a total loss and the patrol car sustained approximately $8,000 in damage.

Clayton was charged with failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.