Tragedy struck in Wilkes County as two men were killed in a head-on collision while riding dirt bikes during the early hours of Saturday. WBTV reports that the accident occurred around midnight on Shingle Gap Road, near CC Hayes Road.
According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, a northbound Honda dirt bike, operated by 21-year-old Matthew Blankenship of Ferguson, and a southbound Suzuki dirt bike, with 30-year-old Orin Harless of Purlear at the helm, crashed in the center of the road. Riding without helmets, both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene, near CC Hayes Road, the collision took place where Shingle Gap Road weaves through Purlear.
WCCB Charlotte's coverage of the incident highlighted that neither speed nor impairment appear to have contributed to the calamity. Preliminary findings of the state troopers suggest that the fatal encounter happened despite the absence of common contributing factors to such accidents.
The local community has been left reeling as they mourn the loss of Blankenship and Harless, while the North Carolina State Highway Patrol continues its investigations. The Honda dirt birt bike that was traveling north and the Suzuki dirt bike heading south collided, stated FOX8, and the investigations proceed based on the initial absence of speed, impairment, or weather conditions as factors.
The aftermath of the accident saw Shingle Gap Road temporarily closed for about two hours to facilitate the on-scene investigation. The closure of the road gave room to the necessary probing by authorities, ensuring a thorough investigation was conducted.
