AHOSKIE – It pays to slow down upon reaching an intersection.

Apparently, an Ahoskie man did not use that good judgment near here Wednesday morning when he lost control of his car while passing other vehicles near the intersection of NC 11 and the Shortcut Road (“11 and 11”).

Deputy Neil Ambrose with the Hertford County Sheriff’s Office said that Kevon Omar Sessoms was taken to Roanoke-Chowan Hospital for injuries sustained in the 8:15 a.m. crash.

Sessoms was operating a 2000 Ford passenger car, headed north on NC 11.

“According to eyewitnesses, Mr. Sessoms was driving very careless and recklessly and at a high rate of speed,” Deputy Ambrose said. “He was passing other vehicles prior to reaching the 11-and-11 intersection. At the same time, he was meeting a vehicle traveling south on NC 11.”

Ambrose said that Sessoms apparently steered his vehicle to the left towards the shoulder of southbound lane in an effort to avoid the oncoming vehicle. However, the driver of the oncoming vehicle, in an evasive measure, also steered towards the same shoulder.

“Mr. Sessoms then, according to eyewitnesses, steered his car back to the right, went across the traffic island and barrel rolled across the intersection before his car struck a utility pole on the other side of the intersection.”

The accident is under investigation by the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.