Deadly crash and car fire close U.S. 64 near Zebulon
A car drifted off U.S. 64 near Zebulon, hit trees and burned, killing the driver and snaring afternoon traffic back to Interstate 87.
A fiery wreck on U.S. 64 near Zebulon left one person dead and again put a harsh spotlight on a stretch of highway eastern Wake County drivers know for fast traffic and serious crashes. The single-vehicle crash happened just after 2 p.m. Monday on the west side of U.S. 64 near U.S. 264 and mile marker 435.
The North Carolina Highway Patrol said the vehicle drifted off the road to the left, then back to the right, before hitting several trees and catching fire. Witnesses rushed in to help but could not open the door. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
Troopers said the vehicle did not belong to the driver. They did not believe it had been stolen, and it had not been reported missing as of Monday afternoon. The driver’s name had not been released Monday afternoon.
The fire shut down U.S. 64 West at Exit 435 to N.C. Highway 96 and Arendell Avenue, one of the key access points for traffic moving through Zebulon and the U.S. 264 interchange area. Backups stretched well beyond the crash site, reaching Interstate 87 at Shepard School Road and Old Bunn Road, a reminder of how quickly one wreck on this corridor can ripple through the afternoon commute in eastern Wake County.
By 4:40 p.m., more than two hours after the crash, the North Carolina Department of Transportation said the road had reopened. Even so, the closure tied up a major route that many commuters use to move between Zebulon, Wendell, Knightdale and the rest of the eastern Wake travel network.
The location itself has become part of the concern. Corridor coverage of U.S. 64 has documented multiple serious wrecks near Zebulon, including another fiery crash near Lizard Lick Road, adding to the sense that this highway remains a recurring danger point for drivers and first responders. The nearby U.S. 264 and N.C. 96 interchange also has seen construction-related ramp closures, underscoring how active and congested the area can be.
For drivers, the main takeaway is simple: this stretch of U.S. 64 can change from routine to blocked in seconds, especially near mile marker 435 and the U.S. 264 interchange. NCDOT says travelers should check DriveNC.gov or call 511 for current road conditions, crash updates and closures before heading into the corridor.
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