CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WKRC) — Two Ohio teachers died in a single-car crash on Interstate 85 while driving their oldest son to college on Friday.
According to authorities, the crash occurred at 1:18 p.m. near Chapel Hill. Maria Nunney, 50, was pronounced dead at the scene, while her husband, 55-year-old Donald Nunney, succumbed to injuries after being flown to a local hospital.
Two other children, ages 14 and 9, were in the vehicle and sustained severe injuries. They are receiving treatment at Duke Hospital. The couple was en route to UNC-Chapel Hill for their son's college drop-off when the van left the roadway, crashed into a wooded area, and subsequently caught fire.
The oldest son was traveling in a separate vehicle and stopped on the interstate following the incident. The Cleveland Teachers Union expressed deep sorrow over the loss, stating, “Their loss has hit everyone so hard… It is unimaginable for their family and their children.”
The incident occurred just days before the start of the school year on August 19, as authorities noted the son remains at the hospital with his siblings. According to law enforcement, “Their entire world has changed.”