Pitt County, NC (October 10, 2026) - Brian Sumerlin, 50, of Ayden, died at the scene of a head-on collision involving two pickup trucks on Stokestown-St. Johns Road in Pitt County, North Carolina, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. The other driver, Myles Evans, 32, of Wilson, sustained serious injuries.

Troopers responded at approximately 9 a.m. Saturday to the crash just north of N.C. 102. According to the patrol, Evans was driving south when his pickup crossed the centerline and collided with the northbound pickup driven by Sumerlin.

Evans was transported to ECU Health Medical Center in Greenville. In the patrol’s account released after the collision, charges against Evans were pending and the investigation was ongoing.

A Centerline Crossing and the Basis for a Claim

A family seeking advice after a fatal head-on collision does not need to invent an explanation for why the other vehicle crossed the centerline. The useful starting point is the reported movement itself. In this collision, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol described Evans’ southbound pickup crossing into the path of Sumerlin’s northbound pickup.

That sequence gives a legal inquiry something concrete to examine: the movement that brought the vehicles into conflict. It is different from saying what the southbound driver was thinking or doing inside the truck. A family can ask about the significance of the crossing without having to explain the other driver’s thinking.

North Carolina’s wrongful-death law requires another person’s wrongful act, neglect or default to have caused the death under circumstances that would have supported an action had the person survived. The action is brought by the deceased person’s personal representative or collector. The reported crossing is relevant to that inquiry, but it is not itself a final decision that these legal requirements have been met.

A car accident lawyer can explain how the reported driving sequence relates to a possible claim for the fatal injuries.

Ask About the Basis for a Fatal-Loss Claim

After losing someone in a head-on collision, trying to explain the other driver’s actions can add to an already painful situation. A legal conversation can focus on whether the known circumstances support a possible wrongful-death claim and what would need to be established, rather than asking a family to supply an explanation for the crossing.

You can call 1-704-714-1450 to discuss those questions. Begin with the concern you want answered, such as whether the reported vehicle movement provides a basis to pursue the inquiry.