DUBLIN — A Bladen County woman died Sunday in a collision near the intersection of N.C. 41 and N.C. 131 just west of Dublin.

Dorothy Reher, 78, of Frenches Creek Church Road in Kelly, died on Sunday. She was a passenger in an automobile headed west on N.C. 41. The vehicle was operated by Alice Benjey of 3902 Briar Road in Wilmington. Another passenger, Wanda Reher, resided at the same address of the deceased.

According to the investigation by N.C. Highway Patrol Trooper J. A. McVicker, Eileen Walsh, 52, of 102 Woodland Drive in Elizabethtown was traveling East on N.C. 41. In Trooper McVicker’s report, Walsh and others described a white vehicle crossing the intersection of N.C. 41/131 and failed to yield to Walsh and/or running the stop sign. McVicker’s listed the incident as a “phanton vehicle” and it was traveling south on N.C. 131. The vehicle operated by Walsh traveled off N.C. 41 on the right and overcompensated the return to the highway, lost control and striking the vehicle driven by Benjey. Both vehicles came to rest in the roadway and on the north shoulder of N.C. 41.

There was a passenger in the Walsh vehicle, Jamie Walsh. All five were transported to area hospitals. Erin Balvotti, Media Coordinator for New Hanover Regional Medical Center stated on Wednesday that Alice Benjey is listed as in fair condition. The crash occurred at 12:06 p.m., according to McVickers’ report. The N.C. Highway Patrol continues to investigate the accident.

According to Drew Cox, district engineer, NCDOT is proposing a reconstruction of the intersection of N.C. 131 and N. C. 41 set to begin in late 2010 and being completed in 2011.