Holiday wrecks claim 13 in NC

by Jessica Rocha

A grandmother and two grandchildren traveling from Massachusetts to Florida were among at least 20 people who died in wrecks across North Carolina during the busy Thanksgiving travel period, according to the state Highway Patrol.

The patrol had counted 20 fatalities statewide from vehicle wrecks that happened between 6 p.m. Wednesday and midnight Sunday, but Lt. Everett Clendenin said that number could rise as reports are updated today.

"I wouldn't be surprised if there were more," Clendenin said.

Already, that's nine more people who died in car wrecks compared with last year's Thanksgiving travel period. In 2006, 11 people were killed on highways over the holiday span.

Of the 20 killed, three were the grandmother and two grandchildren traveling with their family home to Florida after spending Thanksgiving with relatives in Massachusetts.

About 11:30 p.m. Saturday, Judith Perry Days was driving the family's 2000 Dodge Caravan south on I-95 near Benson when she hit a mile marker sign and overcorrected, causing the minivan to roll over, said Trooper J.M. Dorsey. Days and two grandchildren, Jessica Harper, 15, and William Harper, 4, all died at the scene, he said.

Three other passengers survived and were released from Betsy Johnson Regional Hospital in Dunn on Sunday morning, according to hospital officials. They include Days' daughter, Colleen Harper, who is also the children's mother; Days' husband, Russell Days; and Days' son, Paul Arthur.

Days was wearing a seatbelt, and William had been fastened in a booster seat, Dorsey said. Jessica was napping with her head on her mother's lap and wasn't wearing a seatbelt, he said.

One of two dogs also died in the accident, Dorsey said.

The family had left Massachusetts for their homes in Ocala, Fla., about 8 a.m. Saturday, Dorsey said, and Days had just taken the wheel at the Virginia line from her husband.

Dorsey ruled out speeding, alcohol and drugs or falling asleep as contributing to the accident.

Flo Marsh is a neighbor of Russell and Judith Days, and she had been collecting their mail, expecting to return it today, she said.

She said Judith Days enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and was considered the neighborhood watch captain.

"Every time you opened the door, you knew you would see Judy out in the driveway with one of the kids or something," Marsh said. She also did house and yard work, and would cut her neighbors' grass when Marsh's husband couldn't.

Marsh, a hairdresser, said she often cut and styled the whole family's hair for free in her home salon in the garage. Jessica and her mom had come by the day before leaving on their Thanksgiving trip, she said.

Jessica's beautiful auburn hair was in a short hairdo with bangs, she said.

"I just feel good that I was able to help them in that way," Marsh said.