Man injured, crashed car after trying to avoid fallen tree near NC Highway 217

HARNETT COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- A car crashed overnight after attempting to avoid a fallen tree on NC Highway 217.

Just after 11 p.m. on Saturday, Erwin Fire Rescue dispatched to the area of NC Highway 217 and Titan Roberts Road for a tree that had fallen across both lanes.

Before fire units arrived, the call upgraded to a vehicle crash and a fallen tree.

When units arrived, investigators said they found a Ford F-150 off the road deep in a ditch. The driver was seriously injured.

They said the pickup was traveling north on NC Highway 217 when came across the tree blocking the road.

This caused the driver to run off the right side of the road, trying to miss the tree.

According to investigators, the truck still hit the tree and spun around.

The driver was then transported by helicopter to WakeMed in Raleigh.

Firefighters moved the fallen tree to the side of the road afterward.