Impaired Driver Strikes Man Changing Tire on I-95 in North Carolina

Victim in critical condition after collision on interstate shoulder

Published on Feb. 28, 2026

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A Smithfield, North Carolina man is in critical condition after being struck by an impaired driver while attempting to change a flat tire on the shoulder of Interstate 95 on Friday afternoon. The collision involved multiple vehicles and resulted in the victim being pinned between two cars.

Why it matters

This incident highlights the dangers that roadside workers and stranded motorists face from impaired and distracted drivers, and the importance of safe driving practices, especially when navigating around disabled vehicles on the highway.

The details

According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, 38-year-old Virgil Lamark Archibald II of Smithfield had pulled over on the right shoulder of I-95 southbound to change a flat tire on his pickup truck. Two other vehicles had stopped behind him to provide assistance. A white Buick driven by 22-year-old Makayl Nyjah Peirce of Newport News, Virginia then traveled onto the shoulder and struck the rear of one of the stopped vehicles, pushing it forward and pinning Archibald between the two cars. Archibald was transported to WakeMed hospital in critical condition.

  • The collision occurred at approximately 4:04 p.m. on Friday, February 28, 2026.
  • Archibald had pulled over to change his flat tire prior to the crash.

The players

Virgil Lamark Archibald II

A 38-year-old man from Smithfield, North Carolina who was attempting to change a flat tire on the shoulder of I-95 when he was struck by an impaired driver.

Makayl Nyjah Peirce

A 22-year-old woman from Newport News, Virginia who was driving the white Buick that struck the vehicles on the shoulder, resulting in Archibald being pinned and critically injured.

North Carolina State Highway Patrol

The law enforcement agency that responded to and investigated the collision on I-95.

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What they’re saying

“This incident highlights the dangers that roadside workers and stranded motorists face from impaired and distracted drivers, and the importance of safe driving practices, especially when navigating around disabled vehicles on the highway.”

— North Carolina State Highway Patrol

What’s next

Peirce was arrested and charged with driving while impaired with felony serious injury. The crash remains under investigation by the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.

The takeaway

This tragic incident serves as a stark reminder of the need for all drivers to remain alert, sober, and cautious when encountering disabled vehicles on the roadside. Impaired and distracted driving can have devastating consequences, not only for the driver but for innocent bystanders as well.