Elkin – On Saturday, July 26, at approximately 2:35 p.m., the NC State Highway Patrol responded to and investigated a fatal collision in Wilkes County on US 21 near South Center Church Road. A 1995 Chevrolet 1500 traveling north on US 21 failed to reduce speed adequately and collided with a 2020 Dodge Ram 3500 also traveling north on US 21.
The driver of the Chevrolet, Samuel Allen Nelson, 18, of Traphill, was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The passenger, Trenton Ryan Anderson, 14, of Traphill, was critically injured and was transported to Atrium Wake-Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, where he succumbed to his injuries on July 30. Anderson was not wearing a seatbelt.
The driver of the Dodge, Calvin Ray Nelson, 63, of Pilot Mountain, VA, was not injured. A passenger in the vehicle was transported to an area hospital with minor injuries
The initial investigation does not indicate impairment to be a contributing factor. Samuel Nelson was charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle, careless and reckless driving, failure to reduce speed, and failure to secure a juvenile passenger. During the on-scene investigation, US 21 was closed in the area for approximately one hour.