STATESVILLE, N.C. — The body of a 74-year-old woman who was reported missing early Wednesday morning in Iredell County has been found, troopers said.
State Highway Patrol said they found Barbara Houser Bellamy’s car down a mountainside 25 miles away from her home in Statesville. Her family was told she did not survive.
Firefighters told Channel 9′s Dave Faherty that there are no warning signs or guardrails along Brushy Mountain Road, where the SUV went off the road and down the mountainside 75 feet. They’re hoping the North Carolina Department of Transportation can change that.
Family members said more than a dozen loved ones and friends began driving the roads near Bellamy’s home looking for her. They believe she left in a gray-colored SUV and may have gotten lost.
“I have no idea what happened. I think maybe she must have went out to the store somewhere and got turned around,” her daughter, Tammy Williams, said.
Troopers said someone clearing an area near power lines spotted the overturned SUV Wednesday morning. Authorities believe the crash most likely happened sometime Tuesday night. Bellamy’s family said she had some memory issues but was still able to drive.
“She’s the matriarch of the family. She has kept us together. She’s like the rock of the family. I remember when my grandmother passed, she promised she’d keep us together and that she has done,” her nephew, Wade Ikard, said.
Firefighters said they have responded to several crashes on Brushy Mountain Road due to drivers going off the road in the dangerous curve. They asked troopers to have NCDOT come out in hopes of making changes.
“Barrier or sign to let people know to be cautious in this area. Up here, in the dark, it’s very difficult to anticipate these curves,” said Karen Dickerson, who lives nearby.
NCDOT told Channel 9 that after a fatality, the department investigates to see if changes can be made to prevent anyone else from getting hurt.
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