| 116th Year, 51st Issue | Thursday, July 28, 2005 | Sparta, North Carolina |
A truck driver from Spindale was convicted July 21 in Wilkes District Court of misdemeanor death by vehicle in a fiery collision on U.S. 21 South which claimed the life of an Alleghany County woman on Nov. 22, according to Trooper J.R. Hall of the N.C. Highway Patrol.
Joseph Clarence Yancey, 50, operator of a 1999 Freightliner tractor-trailer, was given a $100 fine by Judge Jeannie Houston. He was ordered to surrender his driver’s license for one year and will never again be able to obtain a commercial driver’s license for the purpose of driving a tractor-trailer.
Prosecuting for the state was Assistant District Attorney Kisa Parker and representing Yancey was attorney Jay Vannoy of North Wilkesboro. The wreck occurred around 11 miles north of Elkin, Hall said.Yancey was driving a rig owned by Terminal Trucking.
Killed in the wreck was Susan Mimbs Billings, 40, of Glade Valley.
Billings was driving a 1997 Chevrolet sport utility vehicle. Her
mother, Sarah McCarthy, 66, of Glade Valley, also sustained injuries in
the wreck, which happened around 9:30 p.m. Yancey was traveling south
on a downgrade when his tractor-trailer went left of center and
overturned on Ms. Billings’ vehicle, according to Trooper C.L. McNeil
of the N.C. Highway Patrol. Ms. Billings’ SUV then caught fire.
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