ALEXANDER COUNTY, N.C. — A driver was killed and another was seriously injured Monday morning following a head-on collision on U.S. Highway 64 near Adams Pond Road in Alexander County, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.
The crash occurred at approximately 10:03 a.m. when a westbound 2024 Ram tow truck crossed the center line and traveled the wrong way on U.S. 64. The tow truck collided head-on with an oncoming 2023 Freightliner tractor-trailer, causing the tow truck to become fully engulfed in flames with the driver trapped inside.
The driver of the tow truck, 31-year-old Justice Mcray Boyette died from his injuries at the scene of the collision, troopers said. He was from Iredell County, investigators said.
The 56-year-old driver of the Freightliner from Lenoir sustained serious injuries and was airlifted to Atrium CMC Main. Her condition was not released on Monday afternoon.
State troopers closed U.S. 64 for several hours while conducting an on-scene investigation.
Click here for live traffic maps and alternate routes >>>
Lt. Joseph Cohee with the Taylorsville Police Department told Channel 9’s Dave Faherty he was about a mile away when he spotted the smoke and rushed to the scene.
Witnesses at the scene said flames quickly spread from the tow truck and were headed towards the tractor-trailer when Cohee and another person grabbed fire extinguishers from their vehicles and began knocking down the flames.
“Me and some bystanders tried to put the fire out with fire extinguishers,” Cohee said. “Once fire personnel arrived on scene, I tried to help them extinguish the fire.”
Cohee told Channel 9’s Dave Faherty that he was thankful he was close by and could help.
“This job is full of dangerous situations and also I’m a firefighter, so it’s second nature to me,” he said.
John Plumley, who lives nearby, said his house shook from the impact.
“Sounded like an explosion. And then I felt the vibration,” he said. “Then my nephew, who’s a fire department member, called me and asked he was checking up on me.”
There will be no charges filed.
©2026 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
