Johnston County, NC (October 12, 2026) - An SUV driver died at the scene and commercial truck driver Sampson Brown Tillery Jr., 35, suffered minor injuries in a head-on collision on US 70 in Johnston County, North Carolina. The crash happened around 2:19 a.m. Monday near mile marker 333, between Selma and Wilson’s Mills.

According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, the SUV was traveling west in the eastbound lanes when it struck an eastbound commercial vacuum truck in the left lane. The truck came to rest facing east in that lane. After the collision, the SUV hit a guardrail, became engulfed in flames and came to rest facing south.

Paramedics transported Tillery, of Raleigh, to UNC Health Johnston in Smithfield for treatment. Troopers said he was wearing a seat belt, was not impaired and that speed was not considered a factor for him. The SUV driver had not been identified in the initial account.

Troopers identified wrong-way travel as a contributing factor. At the time of the initial reporting, toxicology results were pending to determine whether alcohol or drugs played a role.

US 70 was closed for approximately six hours while troopers investigated and crews cleared the scene. The highway reopened around 8 a.m. Monday. The Highway Patrol described the investigation as ongoing in its initial account and asked anyone with information to contact its Johnston County office.

Work Injury Benefits and a Claim Against Another Driver

A covered work injury can involve both workers’ compensation benefits and a claim against a legally responsible third party. Tillery’s hospitalization after driving a commercial vacuum truck makes that distinction relevant, but his reported driving role does not establish workers’ compensation eligibility or show that he requested benefits.

For a covered work injury, workers’ compensation benefits and a claim against a liable third party can coexist. In this context, a third party is someone outside the employer and employee relationship who may be legally responsible for the injury, such as another driver. Having a covered work injury does not, by itself, close off that separate claim. Conversely, another vehicle’s involvement does not automatically establish that its driver owes compensation.

If you are searching for a truck accident lawyer after an injury while driving for work, ask about both work-injury coverage and a possible claim against the other driver. Those questions address different requirements. They should be considered together rather than treating workplace benefits and a third-party claim as mutually exclusive options.

A Settlement Amount and the Amount a Worker Retains

When a commercial driving injury involves both workers’ compensation and a third-party recovery, the settlement amount may differ from what the injured worker ultimately receives. That is a separate question from whether both claims are allowed.

Workers’ compensation benefits and third-party proceeds can interact through reimbursement and liens. A lien is a legal claim against proceeds. If a reimbursement obligation applies, part of a third-party recovery may go toward repaying benefits rather than being retained by the worker. It would therefore be misleading to describe the two potential recoveries as simply added together.

Settlement consent requirements can also affect how the claims are resolved. Before treating a settlement figure as the amount available to the injured worker, ask what reimbursement rights apply, whether consent is required and how those obligations affect distribution. These questions explain why the two claims need coordination even though they address separate sources of recovery.

Ask About Both Claims Together

For a commercial driver injured in a collision like this one, understanding the connection between workplace benefits and another driver’s responsibility can make the next legal conversation more useful. You are welcome to contact us to ask whether a third-party claim may be available and how any work-injury benefits could affect it. The goal is to understand both the possible claim and the obligations attached to any recovery.