The North Carolina Highway Patrol said the head-on collision happened around 10:30 p.m. Saturday.
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Authorities said 53-year-old Frank Santamaria, of Durham, was driving a Mercedes sedan was trying to pass a car and crossed the yellow line. The driver struck a Ford Taurus-X carrying two adults a 5-year-old boy.
The driver of the Taurus was identified as Joshua Smith, 30, from Avon Park, Florida. His passenger, 34-year-old Victoria Black, and his son, 5-year-old Jason Smith, were taken to the hospital.
Smith and his son were hospitalized with serious injuries, Black was hospitalized with critical injuries.
The driver of the Mercedes was killed.
Neighbors in the surrounding areas say they're shaken up.
"It wasn't so loud but it shook the bed," Crystal Edwards said. "I came outside and looked and I could see the steam and smoke."
Police say an investigation is ongoing. Speed was a factor.
"The speed limit's 45, but everybody travels faster than that," said Shawn Ryan, who used to live on Mitchell Mill Road. "They come flying down that road. 50, 60 miles an hour is not uncommon."
Neighbors agree this was not the first speed-related accident at this location, and it probably won't be the last.
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