Family, friends remember driver who was one of 3 killed in Durham collision: 'Tragic on all sides'
DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- Family and friends identified 22-year-old Hunter Sullivan as the driver who crossed over into oncoming traffic on Roxboro Street on the evening of Easter Sunday.
Sullivan died in the crash, along with his girlfriend Mercedes Toledo-Goss, who was a passenger in his car. Sandra Moore was also killed in the crash when her car was hit head-on by Sullivan. Three others were injured, but are expected to be okay.
The Durham County Sheriff's Office said they received a call about a car matching the description of Sullivan's black Infiniti roughly 20 minutes before the crash happened, a little more than six miles north of where the crash happened. A caller reported to 911 that there was gunfire coming from two cars on Ball Road in Bahama, cars matching the description of a black Infiniti and a white Audi. That section of Ball Road is windy and rural. It's unclear if the caller saw or heard what they thought were gunshots. ABC11 has requested the 911 calls from this case.
The 911 call prompted deputies to start looking for the two vehicles. The DCSO reported that a deputy was heading north on Roxboro Street toward the call when they spotted the Infiniti and the Audi heading southbound. The deputy reportedly turned around and tried to pull over the two cars, but they report that the cars sped off. While looking for the cars, the deputy came up on the crash.
Another report from the DCSO said that a deputy responding to the call spotted two cars matching the description in a convenience store parking lot. The deputy reported that the drivers both sped off when the deputy pulled into the lot. The DCSO said the deputy then turned on their lights and tried to pull over the black Infiniti, but ended up losing sight of the car. The deputy then reported pulling up on the crash scene.
It's unclear if the accounts are two different deputies, but the sheriff's office did not answer questions submitted by ABC11 Eyewitness News, citing the active nature of the investigation.
In surveillance video released of the crash from a nearby business, it shows the crash happening, and a deputy pulling up on the crash seven seconds later.
ABC11 reached out to loved ones of Sandra Moore, but they weren't ready to speak with us.
There's a growing memorial near the crash site, honoring Sullivan and Toledo-Goss in particular. When ABC11 News crews visited the memorial on Tuesday, both Sullivan's sister and several of his friends were there and shared their thoughts about the crash.
They understand that he was the driver who caused the crash, but are asking for the community to extend grace to Sullivan and his family in this moment, while expressing condolences for the other victims and their families.
"It was a mistake. It was an accident. Like, it was tragic on all perspectives, on all sides," said Alexis Stallins, a friend of Sullivan's. She and her cousin, Alexandria Stallins, described Sullivan as a loving and hardworking person who was always there for his friends.
The DCSO said the white Audi is still at large. They ask anyone with information to contact the Durham County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division at 919-560-0880.
