Police have reported that a woman lost her life in a head-on collision on a US highway moments after updating her status and posting selfies on Facebook.
The 32-year-old Courtney Sanford posted the following on her Facebook page at 8:33 on Thursday morning: “The happy song makes me so HAPPY.” Police were contacted about a crash at 8:34 in the morning.
According to the officers, Ms. Sanford was driving alone when her automobile over the center reservation, collided with a recycling truck, and caught fire, causing the other car to be forced off the road.
She was traveling down Interstate 85 in North Carolina on her way to work at the time, and according to the police, there was no indication that her speed, use of drugs, or alcohol had any role in the crash.
The Facebook link wasn’t made public until this past weekend, when Ms. Sanford’s acquaintances reported to the police that several of her online posts seemed to have been made around the same time as the actual incident.
The collision, according to Lt Chris Weisner, a spokesman for the High Point Police Department, was a real-life public service announcement “showing what happens when you text and drive,” according to the WGHP TV station.
According to Lt. Weisner, Ms. Sanford had been taking selfies on the highway, as evidenced by her social media accounts, in addition to the status update she sent just before the collision.
“In a matter of seconds, a life was over just so she could notify some friends that she was happy. It’s really not worth it,” he said.
“Even though it is depressing, it serves as a somber reminder for everyone—you just need to pay attention when driving.“
John Wallace Thompson, 73, was operating the truck, according to the police, and he was unharmed.