Driver Charged in Cabaret County Crash That Left Two People Dead

A collision on US 17 in Cabaret County led to the death of two elderly Sunbury residents, and another driver has been charged.

Authorities say Nicholas Kivlehan, 37, was driving north on the U.S. 17 bypass west of Elizabeth City on Jan. 19 around 10 AM. His Honda Pilot hit the rear of a stopped Honda sedan driven by Bessie Saunders, 75, with passenger Anita Gatling, 62, both of Sunbury. A witness later told police that the Honda had stopped on the highway for some unknown reason.

Unfortunately, Saunders and Gatling were both seriously injured and were unable to give a statement about the accident. Sadly both later died after being rushed to a local hospital for treatment.

Police were unable to determine exactly why the Honda stopped on the highway. However, rear-end accidents are usually caused by a rear driver’s inability to stop in time. Unexpected things can happen on roadways, and car engines can fail without warning. Every driver is responsible for maintaining a safe distance between their vehicle and the one in front of them.

Kivlehan was charged with two counts of misdemeanor death by vehicle and one count of failing to reduce speed to avoid colliding with another vehicle, according First Sgt. W.W. Everette of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.

If you know a surviving family member of a person who was injured or killed in an accident, please encourage them to contact our firm immediately. The consultation is completely free, with no out-of-pocket cost to the family to hire us.

For over 25 years the attorneys at Auger & Auger have been dedicated to protecting the rights of individuals and families that have suffered injuries or lost loved ones due to the negligence of others. We have years of experience guiding and helping our clients every step of the way to receive compensation for aspects such as medical bills, funeral costs, and other monetary losses. 

Editorial Note: At A&A we are always looking to improve the quality and safety and are saddened by the outcome of many tragic accidents across the Carolinas. The purpose of this news blog is to write about cases relevant to our industry and raise awareness about injury cases so that victims of similar incidents can educate themselves on theories of liability, the law, and how personal injury cases typically work. This article is created using publicly available information and is a secondary source. If you find any information here to be inaccurate, please notify us at [email protected], and we will make the appropriate adjustments.