Taylorsville Man Charged In Connection To Serious Crash In Caldwell County

A Taylorsville man has been charged in connection with a Caldwell County crash that resulted in injuries to a woman and three children.

According to the NC Highway Patrol, at about 8:10 on the evening of Friday, November 15, Troopers responded to a collision in Caldwell County on Dudley Shoals Road near Lawrence Bolick Lane. A 2007 Jeep Cherokee traveling west on Dudley Shoals Road crossed the centerline and collided head-on with an eastbound 2016 Honda Civic.

The driver of the Jeep, 34-year-old Matthew Stephen Reid of Taylorsville, was not injured. The driver of the Honda, 45-year-old Tara Beth Watson of Granite Falls, and three juvenile passengers were transported to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries. No update on their condition is currently available. Ms. Watson and three juveniles were reportedly leaving the Dudley Shoals Elementary School Fall Festival when the accident occurred.

The initial investigation indicates impairment to be the contributing factor in the collision. Reid was arrested and charged with driving while impaired, driving while license revoked, and careless and reckless driving. He is being held in the Caldwell County Detention Center with a secured bond listed at $421,000.

Reid has previous charges pending in Caldwell County for felony possession of schedule II controlled substance, possession of marijuana, possession of schedule III controlled substance and possession of marijuana.

Ralph Mangum-WHKY contributed to this story.