The driver of the tractor-trailer accused of failing to stop, crashing into four vehicles and killing five people last summer was on his phone at the time of the crash, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

The NSTB released a report last week about the July 24, 2024, crash in the northbound lanes of Interstate 95 at Mile Marker 113 near Kenly.

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The driver, Charles Haskell, is facing five counts of misdemeanor death by motor vehicle.

According to the NTSB report, Haskell received a text message on July 24, 2024, while he was driving north on I-95. Less than a minute later, Haskel made a call. Another call to 911 was made less than a minute after that, the NTSB report said.

The timing of Haskell’s call to 911 matched an Apple crash notification made to the Wilson County Emergency Communications Center. Apple crash detection is a feature included in iPhone models 14 and newer and Apple Watch Series 8 or newer, which automatically calls emergency personnel after a 20-second delay to report a detected crash.

It’s unclear if Haskell was holding his phone during the crash or if he was using it hands-free. The NTSB said he had his iPhone with him after the crash.

“The cell phone was not retained by NCSHP investigators, and no attempt was made to access data stored by the cell phone,” the report stated.

The NSTB stated they reviewed phone records from July 13, 2024, to July 24, 2024.

“Incoming and outgoing native voice call and SMS message activity was documented throughout much of each day, with voice and SMS activity routinely continuing during periods of logged driving,” the report stated.

According to state troopers, the following five people died in the crash:

- Edward Davis, 68, of Greenville

- Martha Davis, 69, of Greenville

- Linda Whitehurst, 80

- William Tucker, 72, of Hephzibah, Georgia

- Elizabeth Tucker, 66, of Hephzibah, Georgia

State troopers said Haskell rolled into four other vehicles – a Chevy Tahoe, a Toyota RAV-4 and two other tractor-trailers – forcing them off the road. 

The NTSB report from August 2024 found the crash location along I-95 is in a 70-mph speed limit.

“The 51-year-old operator of the Freightliner combination did not slow and struck the rear of a 2013 Chevrolet Tahoe sport utility vehicle (SUV) stopped in the queue,” the NSTB wrote.

Haskell's tractor-trailer came to a stop and caught on fire.