Man on golf cart hit head-on in crash on U.S. 17

CRAVEN COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) - A Vanceboro man driving a golf cart on a busy highway was seriously injured last night in a crash.

The Highway Patrol says the crash happened around 7:30 p.m. on the U.S. 17 Bypass near Maul Swamp Road in Craven County.

Troopers say 64-year-old Kenneth Esola was operating the golf cart without headlights, going southbound in the northbound lane. He was struck head-on by a pickup truck driven by Joshua Wilder, of Greenville.

Esola was thrown from the golf cart, and troopers say he received life-threatening injuries. The man is now at ECU Health Medical Center, while troopers say the crash remains under investigation.

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