Wake County DA: No charges expected to be filed in fatal church van crash

Monday, June 4, 2018
WAKE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- On Monday, the Wake County District Attorney's Office told ABC11 that they do not expect charges to be filed against the driver in a fatal crash involving a church van.

Officials said 62-year-old Edward Barfield was driving the First Missionary Baptist Church van when the incident occurred, resulting in the death of two people.
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However, officials do not believe he will face any criminal charges.

On May 20, Barfield was driving the Dodge van south on NC 96 when he struck a deer, lost control, hit a Toyota van, and then struck an SUV head-on.



The SUV then became submerged in water off of the roadway, killing the driver 62-year-old Deborah Powell.
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Authorities said a passenger in the church van 84-year-old William Clayton also died at the scene.



A First Missionary Baptist Church official told ABC11 some church members had gone to the Central Children's Home of North Carolina Sunday afternoon to attend a program and drop off clothes and food.
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