Morganton man triggers 6-car crash

Credit: photo contributed | Jerry Hedrick

Hickory Police Department officials say James Gregory McMahan, 51, of Morganton suffered a medical condition and caused this multi-vehicle wreck on U.S. 321 on Saturday.

By: Sarah Newell williamson | Morganton News Herald
Published: July 27, 2009

HICKORY --

Police will likely not release the possible medical condition of a Morganton man who caused a string of wrecks on U.S. 321 on Saturday.
James Gregory McMahan, 51, of Morganton, was the driver of the Toyota Tacoma truck that traveled the wrong way on U.S. 321, hitting six vehicles at about 4 p.m. Saturday.
A report on the injured victims' conditions from area hospitals was not available.
Although police suspect McMahan had a medical condition at the time of the wrecks and are fairly certain they know what it is, it likely won't be made known to the general public, said Maj. Clyde Deal, with the Hickory Police Department.
"I don't know that we will (disclose his) condition," Deal said.
The accidents began when the Toyota Tacoma struck a vehicle on U.S. 321 near Nissan of Hickory and left the scene, according to police. The truck continued traveling the wrong direction on U.S. 321, colliding with six vehicles between Clement Boulevard and Ninth Avenue, NW, and blocking the highway for about two hours. The distance between Nissan of Hickory and Clement Boulevard, NW is less than one mile.
Deal said the investigation into the wrecks is continuing.
"Once we have a chance to follow up on these people's medical conditions, we'll contact the district attorney's office," he said.
Deal said the Hickory Police Department has covered accidents in which a vehicle has run off the road and hit numerous cars in a car lot or a school bus before, but doesn't recall the police department handling an accident involving this many vehicles with so many patients in recent memory.