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Wake County

Wake County: One dead in head-on crash on NC-98 near Stony Hill Road

WRAL now attributes Sunday's crash on NC-98 West near Stony Hill Road to the State Highway Patrol. CBS 17 independently reported a man died on NC 98, citing the patrol. The road has reopened.

UpdatedThis story has changed since it was first published.

By Triangle Local Newsroom · Published · Updated

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File photo: Abhiram Juvvadi (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons.

What we know

Confirmed

  • One person died and another person was injured in a head-on crash early Sunday morning, Oct. 25, 2026, in Wake County, WRAL reported.Confirmed by WRAL, Oct. 25–26, 2026
  • WRAL's Monday version said a person driving on NC-98 West near Stony Hill Road nearly struck a Wake County deputy's patrol car and another vehicle around 1:30 a.m., according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.Confirmed by North Carolina State Highway Patrol, as reported by WRAL (updated Oct. 26)
  • Sunday's WRAL account said the person driving the SUV had minor injuries.Confirmed by WRAL, Oct. 25, 2026
  • NC-98 was closed for several hours and is now open, WRAL reported.Confirmed by WRAL, Oct. 25–26, 2026
  • WRAL wrote that the Highway Patrol is investigating and that it is unknown whether impairment was a factor.Confirmed by North Carolina State Highway Patrol, as reported by WRAL (updated Oct. 26)
  • CBS 17, writing Monday, independently reported that a man died in a head-on crash on NC 98 in Wake County over the weekend, citing the Highway Patrol.Confirmed by North Carolina State Highway Patrol, as reported by CBS 17 (Oct. 26, 2026)
  • Sunday's WRAL version had attributed the same crash to the Wake County Sheriff's Office. Monday's WRAL version names the Highway Patrol instead.Confirmed by WRAL, Oct. 25 and Oct. 26, 2026

Still unknown

  • The names and ages of the people involved
  • Which person died
  • Whether impairment was a factor
  • Whether anyone will be charged
  • How the crash sequence unfolded beyond what WRAL attributed to the Highway Patrol
  • A written Highway Patrol or sheriff release we can read ourselves

What this means for you

Roads
WRAL reported NC-98 was closed for several hours and is now open. Check DriveNC or 511 before you travel if conditions change.
Public safety
Officials have not identified the victim or said if charges are coming. This story is not an official or emergency notice. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.

Instructions from North Carolina State Highway Patrol, as reported by WRAL and CBS 17

This site is not the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, the Wake County Sheriff's Office or NCDOT. For the road, use drivenc.gov or 511. For a police emergency, call 911. This site is not an emergency service. If anyone is in danger, call 911.

What happened

In Wake County, one person died and another was injured in a head-on crash early Sunday, WRAL reported.

WRAL's Monday version attributes that account to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. A person driving west on NC-98 near Stony Hill Road nearly struck a deputy's patrol car and another vehicle around 1:30 a.m., that report said. Sunday's WRAL account said the SUV driver had minor injuries.

CBS 17, writing Monday, independently reported that a man died after a collision on NC 98 over the weekend, citing the same state agency.

The road was closed for several hours and has reopened, WRAL wrote. Troopers are investigating. Impairment is unknown.

No names have been released. Sunday's WRAL version had named the Wake County Sheriff's Office instead of the patrol. We have not found a written release from either agency.

Check DriveNC or 511 before you travel. This site is not the patrol, the sheriff or NCDOT. If anyone is in danger, call 911.

What we don't know yet

Ages have not been released. Authorities have not said which person died, whether impairment was a factor, or if charges are coming.

What happens next

We will update this story if troopers or deputies post their own account, name the victim, or announce charges.

Photos

Text-only. No outlet photos are used here.

Why it matters

A fatal head-on crash closed NC-98 near Stony Hill Road for several hours early Sunday. Two outlets now attribute the investigation to the Highway Patrol. Officials have not named the victim or said if charges are coming.

Updates

  1. Oct 26, 2026, 12:20 PM

    WRAL's Monday version attributes the crash and the investigation to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. CBS 17 independently reported Monday that a man died in a head-on crash on NC 98 in Wake County over the weekend, citing the patrol. Sunday's WRAL version had named the Wake County Sheriff's Office.

  2. Oct 25, 2026, 9:05 AM

    WRAL reports, citing the Wake County Sheriff's Office, that one person died and another was injured in a head-on crash on NC-98 West near Stony Hill Road around 1:30 a.m. Sunday. The SUV driver had minor injuries. The road has reopened. Impairment is unknown.

Sources

  1. One dead, another person injured in head on crash on NC-98 (WRAL, posted Oct. 25, 2026, 10:44 a.m., updated by Oct. 26: Monday text attributes the NC-98 West / Stony Hill Road, 1:30 a.m. near-miss of a deputy's patrol car and another vehicle, the investigation, and unknown impairment to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol; road closed several hours then reopened. Sunday's first version had attributed the same crash to the Wake County Sheriff's Office and said the SUV driver had minor injuries. Text-only; no WRAL photos used.)

    Official sourcePublished by WRAL · Checked Oct 26, 2026, 12:18 PM

  2. Man killed in head-on crash on NC 98 in Wake County: NCSHP (CBS 17, posted Oct. 26, 2026, 11:30 a.m. ET: RSS and headline say a man is dead after a head-on crash in Wake County over the weekend, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol said. Full article body was blocked to this newsroom's fetch. Text-only; no CBS 17 photos used.)

    Official sourcePublished by CBS 17 · Checked Oct 26, 2026, 12:18 PM

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