Zionville– On Thursday, October 2, at approximately 11:20 a.m., the NC State Highway Patrol responded to and investigated a fatal collision in Watauga County on US 421 near the Tennessee state line. A 1989 Chevrolet truck was traveling north on US 421 when the driver lost control, crossed the center line, drove off the left side of the road, and struck a tree.
The driver, David Paul Medley, 49, of West Grove, Pennsylvania, was ejected from the vehicle and succumbed to his injuries at the scene. He was not wearing a seatbelt.
The initial investigation indicates impairment was a contributing factor in the collision.