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Driver of vehicle that crashed into deputy dies

COLUMBUS—A vehicle crash Wednesday morning involving a Polk County Sheriff’s Office vehicle resulted in the death of a person. 

The crash occurred around 9 a.m. Wednesday at the intersection of Highway 108 and Fox Mountain Road, just passed the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. 

The sheriff’s office reported that the deputy was traveling eastbound on Highway 108 when his vehicle collided with a van turning off Fox Mountain Road onto Highway 108 westbound. The call came in at approximately 9 a.m. from the deputy who reported he had been involved in a traffic collision. 

The sheriff’s office said upon preliminary investigation, the driver of the van turning off Fox Mountain Road may have been experiencing a medical emergency at the time of the crash. 

The deputy was treated for minor injuries and was released from St. Luke’s Hospital later Wednesday. 

The driver of the vehicle, whose name has not yet been released, died. 

The North Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.