Woman remains in critical condition after I-85 wreck in Gastonia

A Charlotte woman who police believe was distracted by her cellphone when she drove into a stopped tractor-trailer in Gastonia remained in critical condition at Carolinas Medical Center Wednesday.

The tractor-trailer had been involved in a wreck on Interstate 85 southbound near Long Avenue just before 9 a.m. Sunday. The truck was traveling in the right lane when it was struck by a Honda Pilot SUV that was trying to merge from the middle lane.

The SUV’s driver, Junior Santos, 26, and his passenger, Vilma Posadas, were both taken to CaroMont Regional Medical Center with minor injuries. Santos was ultimately charged with driving without a license, driving while impaired and unsafe lane change. The tractor-trailer’s driver, Samuel Deal of Murphy, was not injured.

After the collision, Deal stopped his truck in the right lane with the hazard lights on.

About a minute later, a 2006 Chevrolet HHR driven by Aundrea Parsons, 37, of Charlotte, crashed into the stopped truck. Gastonia police said there were no signs of braking.

“It is believed Ms. Parsons was distracted by her cell phone by trying to make a call at the time of the collision,” Gastonia police said in a news release. Parsons didn’t appear to be speeding or impaired.

Parsons was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, then airlifted to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte.

Staff writers Joe Marusak and Karen Sullivan contributed.

This story was originally published February 24, 2016 at 9:47 AM with the headline "Woman remains in critical condition after I-85 wreck in Gastonia."