Truck floor mat blamed in crash that claimed life of 10-year-old boy

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By Ken Lemon

LENOIR, N.C. — A crash that killed a 10-year-old boy in Lenoir will take time to get over, said Colletsville Fire and Rescue Chief Larry Price.

Crews were called Sunday night to the accident on Abington Road.

Price posted on the Collettsville Fire and Rescue page saying, “Bad crash tonight. We lost one and five more hurt. Please pray for firefighters and the family’s involved. We always hurt when we lose one.”

A.J. Gates fell to her knees Monday on the side of the road and cried at the spot where she last held her son.

It was her first trip back to the crash scene since Sunday’s accident.

Ten-year-old Clyde Gates III was happy Sunday afternoon. His mother planned to take him, his sister and three other children to the river to swim.

Gates said a heavy truck floor mat got stuck on the gas pedal. The truck accelerated and she couldn't stop it.

She said the truck went off a winding section of Abington Road at 75-80 mph and flipped 16 times, snapping the rims off of the vehicle.

Channel 9 was told that the 10-year-old boy was thrown from the vehicle in the crash. Five other people were hurt, officials said.

(WEB EXTRA: Mom of 10-year-old who was tossed from truck speaks)

Gates said she reached back for her son, but he died.

"He bled to death in my arms right here,” Gates said. “He is gone. I'll never get to hear him say, 'I love you, mommy.'"

"He was just so happy when he found out he was going swimming,” said Clyde Gates II, the boy's grandfather. “He was so happy he forgot to put his seatbelt on.”

The others in the truck were wounded, but are OK.

The family hopes others learn from the child's death.

"I pray that something, a life lesson comes out of this,” said Clyde Gates II.

A.J. Gates walked the strip of road Monday warning drivers as they passed, begging them to watch their children.

"I don't care how mad your children get, you make them wear their seatbelts in the name of my son, in honor of him, you wear your seat belt please,” she said.

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