PILOT MOUNTAIN — Emergency officials have released the names of victims involved in a fatal wreck on U.S. 52 south of the Cook School Road exit Monday night which left one dead and four others hospitalized.
According to Surry County Emergency Services Director John Shelton, the five occupants in the vehicle appear to have been members of the same family who had been visiting relatives in Raleigh and were returning to their home in Canada. The victim has been identified as 78-year old Kandaben Ramanlol Prajapti from Scarbouough, Ontario Canada. He said Prajapti appears to have been thrown from the vehicle into the water. Cause of death has been tentatively listed as drowning with head injuries being a secondary cause.
The other female occupants of the car who were transferred to Baptist Hospital and treated have been identified as Sushila Oza (59) and Minibew Parajapti (47) who has been identified as the wife of Prakash Parajapti (51) who was also an occupant in the vehicle. Shelton said the driver of the vehicle has been identified as Mahendra Oza (71).
The cause of the vehicle leaving the roadway is still under investigation by the North Carolina Highway Patrol. Shelton said the call for the accident was received at about 6:18 p.m. Monday on U.S. 52 Northbound between the Pilot Mountain and Cook School Road exits.
He said it appeared the passenger car left the roadway, struck the guard rail and continued on before going over an embankment and landing in the creek. Two patients, one male and one female, were transported locally to Northern Hospital of Surry County.
Shelton said the Surry County EMS, the Pilot Mountain Rescue Squad, the Mount Airy Rescue Squad, Pilot Knob Volunteer Fire Department and Bannertown Volunteer Fire Department all responded to the accident. At this time, first responders and firefighters are still on the scene.
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