Former fire chief killed in morning crash on U.S. 70

A former volunteer fire chief from Wayne County was killed in a crash this morning on U.S. 70.

The accident happened on the bypass near the Lenoir County line around 6:45 a.m.

Killed was Donald Gray of La Grange, the former chief of the New Hope Volunteer Fire Department.

The county says Gray was still a member of the fire department.

An eastbound lane of the highway was closed for several hours as troopers investigated the crash.

The man's pickup truck ended up on its side and the vehicle's bed separated from the truck as a result of the crash.

The Highway Patrol has not released any details on what caused the accident.