Statesville – On Saturday, April 19, at approximately 10:10 p.m., the NC State Highway Patrol responded to and investigated a fatal collision in Iredell County on I-77 South near mile marker 62. A 2006 Ford F-250 was traveling south on I-77 and struck a southbound 2023 Kia Sportage. This collision caused both vehicles to travel off the right side of the road and collide with the guardrail, causing the Kia to overturn.
The driver of the Ford, Benjamin Wesley Overton, 31, of Walkertown, NC, was not injured.
The driver of the Kia, Jessica Lyndsay Horton, 47, of Mooresville, and a passenger were ejected from the vehicle and succumbed to their injuries at the scene.
The initial investigation indicates excessive speed and impairment to be the contributing factors in the collision. Overton was arrested and charged with driving while impaired, careless and reckless driving, two counts of felony death by vehicle, and driving while license revoked. He received a $2,500,000 bond and is being held at the Iredell County Detention Center. Additional charges are pending upon completion of the ongoing investigation and consultation with the Iredell County District Attorney’s office.
During the on-scene investigation, the roadway was closed in the area for approximately ten hours.