A well-known musician in the Carolina Beach Music community was killed early Saturday morning in a tragic crash along Interstate 95 in Harnett County.
Authorities identified the victim as Howard Douglas Winstead, 67, of Concord. Winstead was the lead vocalist and trumpeter for the legendary Carolina Beach Music group Band of Oz.
According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, the crash happened sometime before 2:06 a.m. on I-95 northbound, just before the Exit 73 area. Sgt. D.N. Pope of Highway Patrol Troop B District 8 said Winstead was driving a 2019 Chrysler van when it rear-ended a Peterbilt tractor-trailer gasoline tanker.
The collision occurred in Lane 1, the far left lane of the interstate. Officials said the circumstances leading up to the crash remain unclear, and the investigation is ongoing. Trooper Christopher McIntosh is handling the investigation.
Firefighters and paramedics with Dunn Emergency Services responded to the scene and found Winstead trapped inside the van. Despite rescue efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The northbound lanes of I-95 were closed for several hours but reopened to traffic at approximately 5:48 a.m.
Winstead was widely respected in the Carolina Beach Music world and was a member of the Carolina Beach Music Awards (CBMA). He was inducted into the CBMA Hall of Fame, received a nomination for Songwriter of the Year, and was credited with helping produce multiple number-one songs. In a biography posted on the band’s official website, Winstead said he had never been happier than when he was on stage performing with Band of Oz.
Reports indicate the band members were traveling in separate vehicles and were returning home from a Friday night performance in Lexington, South Carolina, when the crash occurred.
Winstead also previously performed with The Fantastic Shakers and The Blackwater Band.
Keith Houston, a founding member of Band of Oz, spoke briefly about the loss, saying he was shaken by the news as he tried to process the death of his longtime bandmate and friend. Houston said the band planned to release an official statement later.
