Deadly I-85 crash in Cabarrus County caused by wrong-way driver, troopers say

CABARRUS COUNTY, N.C. — A deadly crash caused by a wrong-way driver closed the northbound lanes of Interstate 85 for several hours on Saturday, according to the Highway Patrol.

Troopers said they got a call around 4:30 a.m. for two cars involved in a crash in the northbound lanes of I-85 between Poplar Tent Road and George W. Liles Parkway.

Channel 9 saw a red Chevrolet SUV and a gray Ford SUV at the scene with heavy damage. All northbound lanes of I-85 were closed while troopers investigated the scene.

According to troopers, the driver of the red SUV was heading south in the northbound lanes of the interstate when they collided head-on with the gray SUV. The driver of the gray SUV died at the scene, troopers said.

There was one passenger in the gray SUV, troopers said. She was taken to the hospital but is expected to be OK, according to Highway Patrol. The driver of the red SUV was taken to the hospital as well.

No one else was involved in the crash, which is still being investigated. Nobody has been charged yet, troopers said.

The highway reopened at about 7 a.m. Saturday.

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Cox Media Group