MAXTON, NC (WBTW) – Divers found three bodies inside a car in a pond in Robeson County, according to Sheriff Burnis Wilkins.
The NC Department of Public Safety identified the three people as:
- Tiffany Danielle Goines, 26, of Pembroke
- Anastacia Delane Locklear, 24, of Pembroke
- Danielle Nicole Locklear, 30, of Maxton
Sgt. Cody Smith, with NCDPS, tells News13 one of the contributing factors was the roadway being washed out.
Crews were called to Maxton Pond at about 2 p.m. on Tuesday after someone reported seeing two lights and a tag submerged in the water, according to Robeson Co. Emergency Management officials. The Queheel Fire Department and Lumberton Rescue also were called out.
After divers entered the pond, they found the car and discovered three bodies inside. The divers were still on the scene late Tuesday afternoon working with the Robeson Co. Sheriff’s Office.
“Evidence leads us to believe it was a traffic-related incident and the highway patrol which was already on scene took over,” said Sheriff Wilkins. Officials are unsure how long the vehicle had been in the water.
Sgt. Smith tells News13 Briana Fernandez this is not the first time this roadway has been washed out.
“When the storms came by there was some erosion and it washed away a lot of the pavement and the barricade that was there. When that happened, it should’ve been replaced immediately. It could’ve happened to any of us because there’s a lot of people that have been here that didn’t know it was in this bad shape,” said resident, Molly Mcmillian.
“It’s really sad that this happened and I feel for the family. Somebody should be responsible for having a barricade down here for people from running in there,” said another resident, Margaret Oxedine.
Wednesday afternoon around 6 p.m. Tommy Hunt the owner of Dorsey Landscape and Irrigation said he was contracted by the Lumbee Tribe to set four inch metal posts and block the area. Hunt said his crew will be working all night and Thursday morning as well.
According to NC Highway Patrol, the state abandoned the road back in 2013 and came to some type of an agreement that had the Lumbee Tribe taking over Hayes road.
Even though troopers say the state does not maintain the road, officials tell us it’s not uncommon that troopers would be in charge of cases like these.
This is a developing story, stay with WBTW on air and online as we receive more details.
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