The UNC Health and ophthalmology community are mourning the death of one of its resident doctors, who died in Lee County over the weekend after being struck head-on in a car crash.

According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, Dr. Davis Anugo died while traveling south on North Carolina Highway 87 late Saturday night. Investigators say a driver traveling north crossed the center line and struck Anugo’s vehicle head-on, killing him at the scene.

Dr. Davis U. Anugo. (Photo via UNC School of Medicine.)

Anugo, who lived in Chapel Hill, was 32 years old. A member of UNC’s Department of Ophthalmology — which is within the UNC School of Medicine — he worked as a third year resident and was preparing to finish the residency in June. A statement from UNC Health said all faculty and residents in the department were called over the weekend to share the news of Davis’ death and some of the ophthalmology employees were gathering on Tuesday to mourn his passing.

“UNC Health is greatly saddened by the tragic passing of ophthalmology resident Dr. Davis Anugo,” said the statement. “Our thoughts are with his friends, family and colleagues during this most difficult time.”

The State Highway Patrol said the driver who crashed into Anugo — 25-year-old Lucas Crump of Sanford — and his passenger, Dani Crump, suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the crash. After hitting Anugo’s SUV, Crump then sideswiped a sedan traveling behind Anugo. Investigators said that third driver was uninjured.

As of Tuesday afternoon, no charges have been announced by state troopers or Lee County authorities. The North Carolina State Highway Patrol said the fatal crash is still under investigation.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
Highway Patrol: 1 Dead After 53-Vehicle Crash on Snowy I-40 in Orange County
A major pile-up of vehicles on Interstate 40 in Orange County Wednesday afternoon left one person dead and several others injured, according to emergency services.
Single-Car Crash, Fire Kills 2 High Schoolers in Western Orange County
A crash along a rural road in western Orange County killed two people, who were reportedly high schoolers, late Thursday night.
Google Sued for Negligence After Man Drove off Collapsed Bridge While Following Map Directions
Written by HANNAH SCHOENBAUM The family of a North Carolina man who died after driving his car off a collapsed bridge while following Google Maps directions is suing the technology giant for negligence, claiming it had been informed of the collapse but failed to update its navigation system. Philip Paxson, a medical device salesman and […]
Law Enforcement Community Mourns Death of Chapel Hill Police Officer After Crash
A Chapel Hill Police officer died in a car crash on Monday in Chatham County, with the department’s announcement prompting support from local law enforcement officers and community members. The police department shared a message from Police Chief Celisa Lehew on Tuesday saying Officer Mike Mineer died from a crash in Chatham County. The 19-year […]
Fatal Crash Causes Closures on I-40, I-85 in Orange County
UPDATE: The North Carolina State Highway Patrol reopened the lanes of Interstate 40-85 on Tuesday afternoon. Drivers on Interstate 40 and Interstate 85 in Orange County on Tuesday likely experienced delays due to a crash that killed at least one person. A release from the North Carolina State Highway Patrol on Tuesday morning said troopers […]
UNC, Research Triangle Community Members Rally for 'Stand Up For Science' Day of Action
Saturday was a national day of 'Stand Up For Science' protests, with dozens of Research Triangle community members taking part in Chapel Hill.
Sheriff's Office: Moving Truck Hit and Run in Hillsborough Ends With Dramatic Chase, Stop in Greensboro
A Virginia man faces several charges in North Carolina after an extensive vehicle pursuit that began with a hit-and-run case in Orange County. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office shared a release on Monday afternoon detailing the incident from Sunday night. Law enforcement officials were dispatched at 10:20 p.m. to help the Hillsborough Police Department with […]
Orange County Sheriff's Office: Early Road Conditions Poor on Sunday Following Snow Storm
Following Saturday's snowfall in the Triangle on Saturday, law enforcement and government agencies are updating road conditions on Sunday.
Increase of Flu Cases, Respiratory Illnesses Causes UNC Health to Start Visitor Restrictions
Following a rise in flu cases and other respiratory illnesses so far this winter, UNC Health hospitals across North Carolina are implementing temporary visitor restrictions at their facilities.
UNC Hospitals Recognized for Best Maternity Care
UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill was one of six UNC Health facilities across the state to be recognized in U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 list of Best Hospitals for Maternity Care. The list named all six UNC Health hospitals as “high performing,” which is the highest award a hospital can earn as part of […]
›