Two from Chapel Hill killed in Oct. 21 accident south of Pittsboro

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PITTSBORO — A mother and daughter from Chapel Hill died in a vehicle accident on the afternoon of October 21 just south of Pittsboro that is still under investigation.

Heather Lynn Rice, 43, and her daughter Abigail, 12, were driving north on U.S. Hwy. 15-501 when a tractor trailer traveling south side-swiped the two cars in front of it and struck Rice’s Toyota Corolla head-on.

John J. Niechniedowicz, 52, of North Augusta, South Carolina, is facing two pending charges of misdemeanor death by vehicle. He is still in the hospital receiving treatment, State Highway Patrol Trooper Brandon Harris told the News + Record on Tuesday.

The incident occurred around 2 p.m. on October 21, but clean-up took eight hours. No other injuries were reported.

“For some reason — we’re not really sure yet — it crosses the center line, side-swipes the two vehicles that are in the center lane and hits the fourth vehicle head on,” Harris said.

The accident is still under investigation.

Reporter Zachary Horner can be reached at zhorner@chathamnr.com or on Twitter at @ZachHornerCNR.