Man killed in car crash near Ruffin

An 88-year-old man died Thursday hours after he crashed into the side of a home on N.C. 700 in Rockingham County.

According to the North Carolina Highway Patrol, Fred Elmer Cox Sr., 88, of Ruffin, missed a turn, crashed into three vehicles and flipped into the side of a home, pinning him inside his car.

The man’s son, Terry Cox, said his father was just coming back from a doctor’s appointment for laryngitis shortly after 3 p.m. when he crashed his vehicle. Terry Cox said his father lived a mile up the road from the crash site, which was situated near the Rockingham County-Caswell County line.

Terry Cox said he asked to take his father to the doctor’s appointment, but his father refused. Fred Cox, who is an avid dancer, had his dance partner follow him back from the appointment. She witnessed the accident.

N.C. Highway Patrol Trooper J.M. Thomas said from what they could tell, Fred Cox went straight instead of rounding the curve in the road, crashed into a Ford Fiesta, a truck and a Chevrolet Blazer which were sitting in a driveway. His vehicle went airborne and flipped upside down into the side of a home located at 10980 N.C. Highway 700.

Fred Cox was pinned inside the vehicle, but was able to talk with paramedics, according to Thomas. Also pinned against the truck was a tank of 100 gallons of gas, which was knocked off of its pedestal during the incident and was only held up by the truck. This became an environmental concern for those on scene, according to Justin Stewart of Rockingham County EMS.

Responders were able to pull Cox from the vehicle. The tank was hoisted on the roof by a strong rope to keep it from falling.

The family was told on scene Cox was being taken by ambulance to Moses Cone Hospital. Terry Cox later said his father was being rerouted to Annie Penn Hospital because he had stopped breathing during the ride. Stewart said he was rerouted back to Moses Cone as his condition improved inside the ambulance. However, a few hours later, the highway patrol confirmed that Cox died at Moses Cone Hospital in Greensboro.

First responders from Eden Rescue, Reidsville Rescue, Madison Rescue, Casville Fire, Caswell County EMS with administration, Rockingham County EMS, Rockingham County Fire Marshal’s Office, the N.C. Highway Patrol and Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office all responded to the scene.