A 75-year-old Roanoke Rapids man died while on his parts delivery route Monday afternoon.

According to a report by state Highway Patrol Trooper J.R. Brown, Bonnie Ray Pilgreen was traveling south on Highway 48 about a half mile north of Smith Church Road. He was delivering parts for Carquest shortly before 12:30 p.m. when the car ahead of him slowed to turn into a private drive. The report says Pilgreen did not see the turn in time and jerked the vehicle into the northbound lane and struck a passenger vehicle.

The impact threw Pilgreen, who was not wearing a seat belt, to the passenger door of his delivery truck.

He was transported to Halifax Regional Medical where he died while waiting to be airlifted to Pitt Memorial Hospital in Greenville. The occupants of the vehicle Pilgreen struck were treated and released.

Pilgreen would have most likely survived the crash had he been wearing his  seat belt, Trooper M.D. Adair said. “You could see the scene and tell it was not that bad of collision. He would have probably been talking to us when he got out of the vehicle. Many people don’t like them but they do what they’re supposed to do.”