Driver charged in fatal Wake County crash

WAKE COUNTY (WTVD) -- Authorities in Wake County are investigating an early morning fatal crash after a vehicle overturned along I-495.

It happened around 1:30 a.m. near exit 422 at Hodge Road along the westbound lanes of US-64/264.

When emergency crews arrived, they found a full-size 2004 Ford passenger van overturned along the roadway.

According to investigators, the van's driver - 25-year-old Jose Maravilla of Salemburg - was going west when he said he fell asleep and ran off the road to the left. He then over-corrected, running off the road to the right, went up an embankment on the Hodge Road ramp before overturning and coming to a final rest on its roof against a guardrail.

One of the passengers inside the van - 27-year-old Edwin Luis Ponce of Clayton - died at the scene. Authorities said Ponce was not wearing a seat belt when the crash happened.

Maravilla and two other passengers were taken to WakeMed with non-life threatening injuries.

Maravilla has been charged with driving while license revoked and misdemeanor death by a motor vehicle.