Jacksonville, NC (October 25, 2026) - Andrew Omstead, 22, of Camp Lejeune, died after a pickup truck and an SUV collided at U.S. 17 and McDaniel Drive in Jacksonville, according to the Jacksonville Police Department. Two passengers in the pickup and the SUV driver were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Officers responded around 2:13 a.m. Sunday to the intersection, where U.S. 17 is also known as North Marine Boulevard. Omstead, a Marine, was driving a red Chevrolet pickup.

Police said the Chevrolet was traveling southwest in the right lane of U.S. 17 when its driver failed to obey a steady red light. According to police, the truck struck the front quarter panel of a red Honda CR-V traveling in the opposite direction through the intersection with a steady green light.

Omstead was transported to Naval Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Police said his next of kin had been notified.

Police said the investigation remained ongoing as of October 27.

Signal Evidence Depends on Direction and Timing

Jacksonville police reported that the Chevrolet entered against a steady red light while the Honda traveled through a steady green light. For an auto accident settlement lawyer assessing an injury claim, an account of the signal needs to identify which vehicle it controlled and what it displayed as that vehicle entered the intersection. Seeing a green light from one approach does not establish the signal shown to traffic approaching from another direction.

Timing matters as well: a light observed after the impact may have changed since the vehicles entered. A witness’s viewing direction, the moment they looked at the signal and any available video can help clarify that sequence. Those details allow the vehicles’ movements to be assessed against the signal that controlled each approach.

Help With an Intersection Injury Claim

A collision involving a death can also leave survivors with injuries and concerns about recovery. Rosensteel Fleishman can review the collision evidence and each person’s circumstances to explain potential legal options. The assessment should account for the survivor’s own injuries and losses.