Eric Anthony Pompa dies in fatal Iredell County wrong-way crash

Eric Anthony Pompa dies in fatal Iredell County wrong-way crash

Fatal Iredell County crash death of Eric Anthony Pompa – Obituary

Eric Anthony Pompa, 31, of Layton, Utah, was killed early Friday morning in a wrong-way collision involving an 18-wheeler on Interstate 77 in Iredell County.

The North Carolina State Highway Patrol reported that the crash occurred near mile marker 42 on northbound I-77 in the Troutman area shortly after 2 a.m. Pompa was driving a 2024 Chevrolet Silverado when it collided with a tractor-trailer. He was thrown from his vehicle despite wearing a seatbelt and later died from his injuries. The truck driver was hospitalized but suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Authorities indicated that impairment was likely a contributing factor in the crash. The accident caused a closure of I-77 northbound near Exit 42 for several hours, leading to significant traffic backups extending miles into Mooresville. The highway was reopened just after 1 p.m., but delays persisted through the afternoon.

The investigation remains active as cleanup continues, and drivers were advised to use U.S. 21 as an alternate route, though heavy traffic was reported due to the shutdown.