Jonathan Zacarias, Gabriel Zacarias and 14-Year-Old Beancy Flores Killed in Wrong-Way I-40 Head-On Crash in Sampson County

 A devastating wrong-way crash on Interstate 40 in Sampson County has left three people dead, including a 14-year-old girl, and another person seriously injured, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. The collision has deeply shaken families in Fayetteville and beyond as investigators work to determine how the fatal sequence unfolded on the early morning highway.

Officials said the crash happened around 2:41 a.m. Saturday near the 344-mile marker close to Newton Grove. According to investigators, a red Chevrolet Camaro was traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes of I-40 when it collided head-on with a black Honda Accord, resulting in a violent impact that immediately shut down part of the interstate.

Authorities identified the driver of the Camaro as 21-year-old Jonathan Toxtle Zacarias of Fayetteville and the passenger as 20-year-old Gabriel Toxtle Zacarias, also of Fayetteville. Both men were pronounced dead at the scene due to the severity of the crash.

Inside the Honda Accord, 14-year-old Beancy Rivas Flores was a passenger and also died at the scene. The driver of the Honda survived but suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to ECU Health Medical Center for emergency treatment, where they remain under medical care.

Investigators said the crash caused extensive damage to both vehicles and led to a full closure of Interstate 40 eastbound for several hours as emergency crews worked through the early morning to document the scene, clear debris, and reconstruct the events leading up to the collision.

The North Carolina State Highway Patrol continues to investigate what caused the Camaro to enter the wrong side of the interstate. Officials have not yet confirmed whether impairment, fatigue, or other factors played a role, and are reviewing all possible contributing circumstances as part of the ongoing inquiry.

The tragedy has left families grieving multiple losses, including the death of a teenager whose life was cut short far too early. Loved ones are now mourning while also supporting the surviving victim, who remains hospitalized with serious injuries following the crash.

As the investigation continues, authorities say they will release additional information once the full reconstruction is complete. For now, the Sampson County community is left grappling with the aftermath of a collision that turned a quiet overnight stretch of highway into the scene of a heartbreaking and fatal wrong-way crash.