One killed, two hospitalized in early morning crash in east Charlotte

CHARLOTTE — One person is dead after an early-morning crash in east Charlotte, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

Just before 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, officers were called to Albemarle Road for a car crash.

At the scene, police found a 2012 Volkswagen Jetta with heavy damage on the front and a 2014 Dodge Ram with damage to the passenger side.

Both drivers were taken to the hospital by MEDIC with serious injuries.

The front-seat passenger of the Jetta, 36-year-old Heriberto Patino Maldonado, was pronounced dead at the scene by MEDIC.

According to police, the driver of the Dodge Ram, 40-year-old Jesus Lopez Garcia, was driving west on Albemarle Road and was trying to make a U-turn on Farm Pond Lane.

Officers say Garcia had a yellow caution arrow in his lane of travel when, while trying to make the U-turn, he was hit by Marcario Torres, 28, the driver of the Jetta.

Police say the driver of the Jetta was speeding and did not have his headlights on.

CMPD also says that both drivers were found to be impaired, another cause of the crash.

Officers charged Garcia with failure to yield the right of way, driving without a license, and possession of an open container in a motor vehicle.

Police also charged both drivers with felony death by motor vehicle.

CMPD says the investigation into the crash is open and ongoing.

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