HICKORY, NC (WBTV) -
Two small crosses with flowers mark the spot along Highway 150 just east of Highway 16 in Catawba County.
It's the place where 26-year-old Tisa Michelle Strickland and her one-year-old daughter, Payton, were killed in a traffic accident just around 8:15 a.m. Wednesday morning.
"It is a sad day - brother - a sad day," said one man as he helped to clean up the wreckage.
Troopers say witnesses have told them that Strickland, who was heading west on the highway, tried to pass a line of cars and went head-on into an oncoming tractor trailer.
The truck, carrying 30,000 pounds of concrete barrier blocks had nowhere to go.
"It sounded like a huge dumpster falling off a truck," said JerryCassidy who lives just up the road. "I ran down there and went to the car where the woman was."
Cassidy said he talked to Strickland, but got no response. After another man ran up, both looked into the back seat and saw the baby.
Troopers are not sure why Strickland did not see the tractor trailer coming her way. The section of Highway 150 is straight with visibility for a mile or so.
Investigators say they may never know exactly what happened.
The truck driver was shaken up by the accident but is okay.
Firefighters and other rescue crews said this accident was a tough one for them to take.
"There is no way you can ever get used to something like this," said Deputy Chief Justin Butler, of Sherills Ford Fire Department.
A special stress debriefing session was held for anyone who wanted to attend later in the afternoon.
Jamie Burgess and friends stopped by to place those crosses and flowers.
"We've been friends for nine years," she said about Strickland. "She was a great mom and just loved that little girl."
Burgess said the loss is hard to take and something she says she will never forget.
The wreck closed down Highway 150 for several hours. Crews cleared the wreckage and then spent time cleaning places were fuel and oil spilled.
Part of the ditch where the tractor trailer wound up was dug out with the dirt hauled away by a special crew.
Traffic was cleared to pass through after 2 p.m.
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