Jefferson – On Sunday, April 14, at approximately 9:45 p.m., the NC State Highway Patrol responded to and investigated a fatal collision in Ashe County on Low Gap Road near Noel Drive. A Honda Pilot was traveling northeast on Low Gap Road, drove off the right side of the road, struck a tree, and caught on fire.
The driver of the Pilot, Randy Thomas Pennington, 58, of Jefferson, succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
During the on-scene investigation, Low Gap Road was closed in the area for approximately three hours. The initial investigation does not indicate excessive speed or impairment to be contributing factors in the collision.