Death investigation underway following incident on NC Highway 39

JOHNSTON COUNTY – The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a death investigation following an incident in the 8200 block of NC Highway 39 North.

On Thursday around 7:15 p.m., authorities said a man was driving a vehicle on private property when he collided with a parked car and a small tree.

The man exited the vehicle and, according to witnesses, showed signs of abnormal behavior. The person reportedly ran into the street, where a passing paramedic stopped and called for help.

A short time later, the man reportedly collapsed next to the road and stopped breathing. Emergency services performed CPR, but rescue efforts were unsuccessful.

The Johnston County Sheriff's Office said the victim's cause of death is unknown, but an autopsy is pending. Authorities said the death is not suspicious.

The victim's name was not released.

Highway 39 North was closed for several hours while the incident was investigated.