A quiet Wednesday evening in Waxhaw turned deadly when a car rolled over and slammed into a tree, killing a passenger and sending the driver to the hospital, according to police. The single-vehicle crash happened at the intersection of McCain Street and Arbor Drive, where investigators say the car left the roadway before the impact.
Waxhaw police identified the passenger as 61-year-old Ricky Gladden, who was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver was taken to a hospital, though authorities have not released the driver's condition.
The wreck happened around 7:30 p.m., and speed was a contributing factor in the rollover, according to WCNC. Emergency crews shut down the intersection while investigators worked the scene and documented evidence. Police say the case remains active and more information will be released when available.
Investigation ongoing
Waxhaw's Traffic Unit is leading the investigation, according to the Town of Waxhaw's police pages. So far, officials have not shared additional details about the driver's injuries or whether any charges are on the table.
Investigators are expected to complete a detailed scene examination and collect physical and digital evidence in an effort to piece together the sequence of events that led up to the crash.
Speed and safety
Speeding routinely shows up in deadly crash reports and is a priority in North Carolina's Strategic Highway Safety Plan, which lays out engineering and enforcement steps to cut speed-related deaths, as detailed in NCDOT. Safety planners point to a mix of road design changes, improved data, and targeted enforcement as tools to reduce high-speed collisions.
The Waxhaw Police Department is expected to release further updates as the investigation moves forward.
