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Separate Durham crashes leave one driver dead, another critically injured

Two crashes are under investigation in Durham.
Two crashes are under investigation in Durham. The Sun News file photo

Separate car crashes Saturday in Durham left one person dead and another critically injured, police said.

Durham police said in a news release that speed appears to be a factor in the fatal wreck. That took place around 9:30 p.m. in the 4300 block of Guess Road when a 2014 Lexus GX460 driving north hit a 2016 Ford Fusion while trying to pass the other car, police said. The Lexus overturned and hit the Eno River Bridge.

The driver of the Lexus died, while the driver and the passenger in the Fusion were injured and taken to the hospital. Their injuries were not life-threatening, police said.

Police identified the driver of the Lexus as Douglas Eric Griffin Jr., 46, of Durham.

Durham police said in another news release that speed and impaired driving appear to be factors in Saturday’s other crash, which involved eight vehicles and critically injured a driver.

That wreck happened around 4:30 p.m. when a 2017 Ford Mustang headed west crashed into seven other vehicles that were waiting at the stoplight at Durham-Chapel Hill Boulevard and Tower Boulevard.

Police said Durham resident Shaun Barrett, the 42-year-old driver of the Mustang, was taken to the hospital. There was no update on his condition.

The only other person hurt, police said, was a bystander whose minor injuries came from helping people involved in the crash.

Police want anyone with information on either crash to call either investigator J. Rose at 919-560-4935 ext. 29409 or CrimeStoppers at 919-683-1200.

This story was originally published May 22, 2022 at 9:05 AM.

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Jordan Schrader
The News & Observer
Jordan Schrader has covered state governments for 19 years, including as politics editor for The News & Observer since 2016. Contact him at jschrader@newsobserver.com.
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