7 dead, 1 injured in highway crash in North Carolina

Seven dessert company employees were killed and another driver was injured in a three-vehicle crash last week, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.

The accident occurred around 6:02 p.m. Thursday on North Carolina Highway 711, about 44 miles southwest of Fayetteville.

According to a news release from the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, the first two vehicles were traveling west on the highway while a third vehicle was traveling east.

There were seven employees of the dessert company in the first vehicle. While attempting to overtake, the driver threw the second vehicle sideways and crashed into a third. The driver then left the highway and stopped in a swamp. Three passengers were ejected and the car caught fire, the NCSHP said.