An Oxford woman was killed in a head-on collision while vacationing with her family in North Carolina on Thursday night.

Police in North Carolina said Tammy DuBois, 42, of 64 Rabbit Valley Road, died at the scene when the van she was riding in with six others was struck in a head-on collision with a speeding sports car in Granite Falls, N.C.

Her husband, Philip DuBois, administrator of Market Square Health Care Center in Paris, was critically injured, as was the couple’s son, Jamie DuBois, 13.

Also killed was the van’s driver and owner, the Rev. Wendell Kirby DuBois, 70, of Taylorsville, N.C., an uncle of Philip DuBois, police said.

Three other passengers in the van, who were also injured, were identified as: Wendell DuBois’ wife, Janet DuBois, 66, of Taylorsville, N.C.; his sister, Gloria Carter, 65, of Ellabell, Ga.; and his cousin, Virgene Hughes, 70, of Pembroke, Ga.

The car that hit the minivan was driven by MacKenzie Vos, 26, of Granite Falls, who was hospitalized with a broken ankle, North Carolina Highway Patrol Sgt. Vic Misenheimer said. Her condition was reported as fair at Caldwell Memorial Hospital in Lenoir, according to the News-Topic newspaper in Lenoir. She was alone in her car that had expired Washington state registration plates, said state police Trooper M.T. Stutts, who is investigating.

Vos’ license was suspended for failing to pay a speeding ticket issued two years ago, he said. She had no insurance, according to a draft of the accident report.

Vos’ 1997 Dodge Avenger, heading south, crossed the center line of Dudley Shoals Road after rounding a curve and struck Wendell DuBois’ 1999 Chrysler van heading north, police said.

“This was a true head-on collision,” Misenheimer told the News-Topic. “We can’t figure out the reason for the silver car to be over the center line.”

Stutts said the accident was due to inattention and speed by Vos.

According to the Highway Patrol, Vos was traveling approximately 60 mph when she struck the minivan, which was going at the posted speed of 45 mph, the News-Topic reported. The road was wet at the time.

Stutts said in a phone interview Friday night that Vos had initially been traveling in the same direction as DuBois, but made a U-turn and was driving in the opposite direction when the crash occurred shortly after 7 p.m.

Stutts said he will turn his report over to the district attorney for consideration of charges.

Stutts aid said Philip DuBois was riding in the front passenger seat; Tammy was seated behind him with Hughes beside her; and Jamie between Janet DuBois and Carter in the rear seat.

The family had been at a Granite Falls restaurant and were returning to Wendell and Janet DuBois’ home at the time of the collision, he said.

Philip DuBois, 41, was being treated at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., for a broken left leg, hip, ribs, toes and right hand, according to Carol Waterman of Oxford, a member of the Oxford Advent Christian Church, where the DuBoises are members. He was listed in fair condition at 9:15 p.m. Friday.

Jamie DuBois was in critical condition with a serious leg injury and extensive internal injuries at Frye Regional Medical Center in Hickory, N.C., Stutts said.

According to the Advent Christian General Conference e-mail, Janet DuBois was being treated at Caldwell Memorial Hospital for a compound fracture of the arm, broken leg and broken jaw. She was listed in fair condition Friday afternoon, according to the News-Topic. Gloria Carter was also at Caldwell Memorial with a broken hip and arm. Her condition was also fair, the newspaper said.

Virgene Hughes was in critical condition in the intensive care unit at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, Stutts said.

Wendell DuBois was pastor of the Bethel Advent Christian Church in Lenoir, according to the denominational office in Charlotte, and Hughes is the wife of the Rev. Bob Hughes of the Pembroke (Ga.) Advent Christian Church, the e-mail stated.

No plans have yet been made for a funeral service for Tammy DuBois since it is expected both Philip and Jamie will remain hospitalized for some time, Carol Waterman said.


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