North Carolina Dad Dies in Avoidable Tragedy After Driving on Bridge to Nowhere

Philip Paxson North Carolina Department of Public Safety Bridge to Nowhere

By Joel Brussels , Parent Herald Oct 10, 07:57 pm

North Carolina dad of two, Philip Paxson, died after traveling over a bridge already destroyed nearly a decade ago. His family called the accident an avoidable tragedy.

The victim was driving home in Hickory, North Carolina, when he crossed the bridge on September 30. According to a news release shared by the North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS) with TODAY, officials and emergency responders arrived at the scene at around 9:45 a.m. on October 1.

They found a 2020 Jeep Gladiator upside down. The vehicle was partially submerged in a creek in an area where the roadway had washed out, with the victim found dead inside the Jeep. According to the NCDPS, authorities believe the accident happened shortly after 11 p.m. on September 30.

Widow wants to raise awareness for avoidable tragedy

Troopers told WCNC that barriers warning drivers of the collapsed bridge that lay ahead had apparently been moved. Alicia Paxson, Philip's widow, declined to comment immediately, but she wrote in a Facebook post that she wants to raise awareness for the avoidable tragedy that happened to her husband.

She said in the post that this was a known hazard back in 2014. She added that it was just an accident waiting to happen, and Phil had to lose his life to bring awareness.

Paxson's sister-in-law Kayla Bubar explained in detail what happened to the victim. She said that Philip took a left and that left went to that bridge to nowhere. She added that is what they called it since 2013 when the bridge washed away, and no one took responsibility for fixing it.

GoFundMe created for the funeral expenses of Paxson

Officials have been trying to get state and federal funding to repair the roadway since 2013. Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) said his office attempted to get funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to repair the bridge in 2013 and 2016. However, it was not eligible for funding as the bridge is on a private road.

According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation, it does not have the authority to make improvements because it is a private roadway. Catawba County also said that counties in North Carolina do not maintain private roads.

Eric Andrews, the president of the Realtors Land Institute Carolinas chapter, said that residents could petition North Carolina's transportation department to take over the maintenance of the road. Residents also may have to take responsibility for the road themselves if they want it fixed.

Bubar created a GoFundMe page for Paxson's funeral expenses, which has now reached more than half of its $50,000 goal. According to his obituary, Paxson is survived by his wife and their two daughters, two sisters, a sister-in-law, and many nephews and nieces.