HICKORY – On Saturday, April 1, at approximately 6:15 a.m., the NC State Highway Patrol responded to and investigated a fatal collision in Catawba County on NC 127 near Leslie Avenue. A 1990 Ford Mustang traveling east on NC 127, went off the right side of the road, struck a road sign, and then struck a tree.
The driver of the Mustang, Kiowa Chenoa Partin, 24, of Newton, succumbed to his injuries at the scene. A passenger in the Mustang was transported to Catawba Valley Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.
The driver and passenger were not restrained by seatbelts and were ejected from the vehicle during the collision. The initial investigation indicates impairment and reckless driving to be the contributing factors. NC 127 was partially closed in the area for approximately one hour during the on-scene investigation.