Three dead after ‘head-on’ collision in Newton area near Charlotte, troopers say

Three people died Tuesday afternoon in Catawba County when a vehicle crossed the center line and collided “head-on” with another car, according to the N.C. Highway Patrol.

It happened around 2:05 p.m. on Balls Creek School Road in the Newton area, about one mile north of Balls Creek Elementary School, officials said in a news release.

“A 2013 Hyundai Elantra was traveling north on Balls Creek School Road at a high rate of speed, lost control, over corrected, crossed the center line, and collided head-on with a southbound 2015 Kia Optima,” the release said.

“The driver of the Hyundai, Bobby Ray Payne Jr., 25, of Conover, succumbed to his injuries at the scene. He was not restrained by a seatbelt,” officials said.

The driver of the Kia was identified as Larry Ray Sims Jr., 43, of Kannapolis, and he was airlifted to a Charlotte hospital where he died, the release said.

A passenger in Sims’ vehicle, Chasity Copeland Spears, 33, of Sherrills Ford, died at the scene, the release said.

Both Spears and Sims were wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash, officials said.

The road had to be closed for three hours and traffic headed to Ball Creek Elementary was diverted, officials said.

This story was originally published December 9, 2020 at 6:45 AM.