Police have reported that a 32-year-old woman, Courtney Sanford, tragically lost her life in a head-on collision on a US highway shortly after updating her Facebook status and posting selfies.
At 8:33 AM on a Thursday morning, Sanford posted on her Facebook page: “The happy song makes me so HAPPY.” Just a minute later, at 8:34 AM, police received a report of a crash.
According to officers, Sanford was driving alone on Interstate 85 in North Carolina when her vehicle crossed the centerline, collided with a recycling truck, and burst into flames. The impact also forced the truck off the road.
Sanford was en route to work at the time of the accident. Police have stated there was no evidence suggesting that her speed, drug use, or alcohol played a role in the crash.
The connection between Sanford's Facebook activity and the accident was not revealed until this past weekend, when friends alerted authorities that her posts were made around the same time as the crash.
Lt. Chris Weisner of the High Point Police Department described the incident as a poignant public service announcement on the dangers of texting and driving, according to WGHP TV.
Lt. Weisner noted that Sanford had been taking selfies on the highway, as indicated by her social media activity, in addition to the status update she posted shortly before the collision.
“In a matter of seconds, a life was lost just so she could share her happiness with friends. It’s a sobering reminder of the importance of staying focused while driving,” he said.
John Wallace Thompson, 73, the driver of the truck, was unharmed in the incident.
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