West Jefferson – On Sunday, August 6, at approximately 2:25 p.m., the NC State Highway Patrol responded to and investigated a fatal collision in Ashe County on US 221 near Woodstown Road. A 2011 GMC Canyon traveling south on US 221, during heavy rain conditions, crossed the median and collided head-on with a northbound 2022 Honda CRV.
The driver of the Canyon, Nicholas Thomas Sponholz, 21, of Fleetwood, received minor injuries and was not transported to the hospital.
The driver of the CRV, Bruce Louis Schneggenburger, 56, of Advance, succumbed to his injuries at the scene. The passenger, Stephanie Ann Schneggenburger, 55, of Advance, was transported by EMS to Watauga Medical Center, where she succumbed to her injuries.
During the on-scene investigation, US 221 was partially closed in the area for approximately two hours. Sponholz was arrested and charged with two counts of misdemeanor death by vehicle and failure to maintain lane control.