Two individuals lost their lives in a tragic head-on collision in Burke County yesterday, North Carolina State Highway Patrol informed media sources. Gregory Neal Huffman, 54, of Hickory, was pronounced dead at the scene after his 2002 Dodge Dakota veered across the centerline on Airport Rhodhiss Road near Nelson Gates Street and collided with a 2003 Lincoln Town Car, as noted in a report from WBTV. Charles Verle Kistler Jr., the 45-year-old driver of the Lincoln from Connelly Springs, succumbed to his injuries while being transported to the hospital.
According to the state highway patrol, Huffman was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident, and speed appeared to have been a contributing factor. The road was closed for approximately two hours as authorities investigated the scene to understand the circumstances leading to the fatal event. This information was echoed by further details provided by WCNC, highlighting the role that speed played in the unfortunate incident.
The investigation of the crash prompted a temporary closure of the affected roadway, with WSOC-TV reporting that officials from the North Carolina State Highway Patrol were on site to conduct a thorough examination of the incident. This investigation is standard procedure in such fatal collisions, as authorities piece together the chain of events in hopes to prevent future tragedies.
North Carolina State Highway Patrol has not released additional details regarding potential contributing factors or the sequence of events that led to the collision. The process of this investigation is critical in order to provide closure to those affected and to contribute to safer road practices in the future.
