Fatal crash on road with deadly past

GREENSBORO -- A woman died when her car crashed into the guardrail of a bridge along Alamance Church Road in Guilford County. It happened during Thursday morning's rush hour. Emergency officials found the car straddling the bridge some 20 feet above a creek.

"Speed undoubtedly is the main factor in the wrecks that I've seen out here," said Bill Thompson. He's lived on Alamance Church Road for 22 years.

In that time he's seen quite a few crashes, some of them fatal. "Four people were killed down here about six months ago ...," Thompson said.

Thursday morning, 21-year old Danielle Wrenn was heading north on Alamance Church Road in when her car crossed the center line and struck the guardrail, bending back at least 10 feet of metal. Investigators say she was not wearing her seatbelt. They're still investigating the cause of the crash.

This tragic wreck adds to a deadly history on Alamance Church. Statistics from N.C. Highway Patrol say this road has seen eight crashes this year alone, killing five people.

"Well this has been a very dangerous road, we've placed extra emphasis on this road because of the wrecks we've had on it lately," said Trooper T.L. Van Dyke.

Another dent in the bridge shows where someone almost took out the bridge once before. Troopers say Alamance Church Road has long been a problem. A number of cars can be seen traveling along the narrow, windy road at a high rate of speed.

People who live there say drivers don't observe the 45-mph speed limit. "No, I don't think they observe and I think they know it's not patrolled that heavily," Thompson states.

DOT crews have now put up cones and a wooden fence to serve as a temporary "guardrail," helping to guide traffic through the crash scene.

"But it would not prevent a car from going through it so we would ask that people be aware of that and slow there speeds down," said Dennis Johnson, bridge engineer with the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

DOT officials say it will be two days before they're able to replace the guardrail. They add there was no structural damage to the bridge.