Friday fatality
Highway Patrol Trooper Richard Capps Jr., left, watches rescue personnel work on one of the victims of Friday morning’s crash along Hallsboro Road South after the van, shown on its side, crashed into the bricked driveway entrance of the Cornerstone Free Will Baptist Church.One of the four sons riding with their mother became a highway fatality early Friday when he was ejected from a skidding van as it slammed sideways into the bricked driveway entrance to a church.

Boy killed, two others hurt in Friday van crash

One of the four sons riding with their mother became a highway fatality early Friday when he was ejected from a skidding van as it slammed sideways into the bricked driveway entrance to a church.

Anthony James Cox, 7, of Country Village Road, Whiteville, became the 33rd rural fatality of 2004 when he died of head injuries after the 7:53 a.m. crash along the Hallsboro Road South. Carol Diane Cox  mother and driver  and 14-year-old Daniel Cox both sustained critical injuries.

Highway Patrol Trooper Gene Nance said the children missed their school bus and the van was headed to Old Dock Elementary. The van was traveling at 55 mph on the wet road when it went off the highway to the right and Carol Diane Cox over steered, Nance added. No one was wearing seat belts.

The van came back onto the hard surface where it skidded and went out of control, the trooper said. Moving sideways, the van went through a shallow ditch and hit the brick driveway wall of the Cornerstone Free Will Baptist Church.

Anthony Cox was thrown from his position behind the front passengers seat. The van spun around and overturned onto its left side traveling just eight feet after knocking down the brick column nearest the highway. The young victim was found between the bricked entranceway and the van.

Carol Diane Cox was airlifted to New Hanover Regional Medical Center from the Columbus County Hospital Friday morning, and Daniel Cox was moved to the same hospital by ambulance later the same day.

Cody Cox, 12, and Brandon Cox, 8, were not seriously injured.

The wreck is the 23rd fatal crash this year and raises the number of people killed without using seatbelts to 19. The use of seat belts could not be determined in four other deaths.

The 33 road deaths include one in February on a logging road south of Bolton which is not officially counted in the Highway Patrols total this year because it wasn't on a state maintained highway.

The funeral for Anthony James Cox will be Tuesday at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church with the Rev. Robin Cox and the Rev. Danny Lewis officiating. Interment will be in the family cemetery. Visitation is tonight from 7-9 p.m. at Worthington Funeral Home in Chadbourn.

Obituary
WHITEVILLE – Anthony James Cox, 7, died Friday, Dec. 10, 2004 from injuries received from an automobile accident. Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Whiteville with the Reverends Robin Cox and Danny Lewis officiating. Interment will follow in the family cemetery. Worthington Funeral Home, Inc. is in charge of the arrangements.

Survivors include his parents: Daniel Hartford and Carol Diane Hewett Cox of the home; sister: Aleah Ann Gabriel Cox of the home; brothers: Daniel Allen Cox, Cody Taylor Cox and Brandon Lee Cox, all of the home; maternal grandmother and step-grandfather: Susan and Donald Shipman of Whiteville; maternal grandfather and step-grandmother: Rex A. and Donna H. Hewitt of Shallotte and paternal grandfather and step-grandmother: Eugene Allen and Marie Miller Cox of Chadbourn.

Pallbearers will be Bobby Suggs, Austin Cox, Mike Cox and Scotty Cox.

Visitation will be from 7-9 p.m. Monday at Worthington Funeral Home in Chadbourn.