The Wilmington Police Department (WPD) has released the names of the two individuals who tragically lost their lives in a single-vehicle car crash early Sunday morning. The driver was identified as 21-year-old Noah Giovanni Johnston of Indianola, Iowa. Johnston was an active-duty Marine stationed at Camp Lejeune. The passenger was 18-year-old Brooklen Mae Wallace, a Wilmington native.
The crash occurred around 1 a.m. on August 3 in the 300 block of Willard Street. Officers arriving on the scene discovered a car severely damaged and engulfed in flames. The Wilmington Fire Department responded quickly and worked to extinguish the fire. Both Johnston and Wallace were pronounced dead at the scene due to injuries sustained in the crash, authorities said.
Initial witness reports indicate that the vehicle was traveling south on Burnett Boulevard near the entrance to Greenfield Park when the accident occurred. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Burnett Boulevard was closed for several hours overnight as emergency crews secured the area and conducted an initial investigation.
The Wilmington Police Department has not released further details at this time. Anyone with additional information about the incident is encouraged to contact WPD.
