Family members, loved ones, friends and coworkers are mourning the losses of two young men who were killed in car crashes last week. WLOS ABC News Channel 13 reports that Brandon Bridges, 19-years-old, was killed in a one-car cash on Saturday morning. For currently unknown reasons, his automobile left the roadway on Bear Creek Road and struck a tree. This fatal wreck happened just days after a fatal wreck in Henderson County that took the life of a 26-year-old man.
Fatal Henderson County Crash
Last week, we reported on the fatal crash in Henderson County. The collision involved a pickup truck that drifted across a centerline and struck a car, head on. The driver of the car, 26-year-old Robert Slater, was killed. Over the weekend, the unrelated, separate crash on Bear Creek Road also took the life of another Asheville citizen, 19-year-old Brandon Bridges. Almost unbelievably, the families of these two young men are connected through their jobs. The step father and father of the two victims both work at the same South Asheville shop, Rhino Linings.
At this time, there’s still no word on what caused the pickup truck driver to drift over the centerline in the Highway 280 crash. The WLOS ABC News Channel 13 report did mention that the pickup truck driver’s cell phone was found outside of the truck, and that it was confiscated as evidence to be examined.
Fatal Crashes in North Carolina
- From 2011 to 2012, reportable traffic crashes increased by 2.5 percent across the state.
- During that same one-year time period, traffic crash fatalities increased by 4.5 percent.
- Motorcyclist deaths increased by 14.3 percent.
- Cyclist deaths increased by 4.5 percent.
- Pedestrian deaths increased by 18.9 percent.
Improving Roadway Safety in North Carolina
The North Carolina Department of Public Safety (DPS) offers motorists a variety of tips for improving roadway safety. In addition to following all posted traffic signs and signals, motorists need to safely share the road with one another. Making a commitment to distraction-free driving is absolutely essential for keeping roads safe for fellow drivers, motorcycle riders, cyclists and pedestrians in Asheville and across the state. The team at Davis Law Group, P.A. sends their deepest condolences to the family members, friends and coworkers of Robert Slater and Brandon Bridges.