– Monday collision victim identified as Morganton man
– Monday collision victim identified as Morganton resident.

Accident – Death – Obituary News :

A tragic collision that occurred on Monday on Statesville Boulevard in Rowan County has claimed the life of Eugene Laughridge, a resident of Morganton. The North Carolina State Highway Patrol confirmed Laughridge as the sole victim of the accident, which involved his Subaru passenger car and a 2013 Ford pickup truck driven by Jeffery Antonitis of Holden Beach. Antonitis has been charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle.

The collision took place around 1 p.m. in the 6800 block of Statesville Boulevard. Both vehicles were traveling east when the pickup truck veered off the roadway and collided with the Subaru, which was parked on the highway shoulder. Eyewitnesses at the scene reported that the Subaru may not have been in motion, and if it was, it was traveling at a very low speed of 0-5 mph.

Authorities are still investigating the exact cause of the accident. A highway patrol sergeant stated that it was unclear why Antonitis lost control of the road. Further investigation is expected to shed light on the circumstances leading to the collision.

Fortunately, the driver of the pickup truck escaped with only minor injuries. According to a witness familiar with the truck driver, Antonitis was not a resident of Rowan County but was in the area for a contractual painting job.

In compliance with standard procedure for cases involving deceased individuals, law enforcement will require Antonitis to provide a blood sample for testing.

Following the accident, the N.C. Department of Transportation temporarily closed the road to through traffic to facilitate the investigation conducted by the highway patrol.

This tragic incident serves as a reminder of the importance of road safety and the need for drivers to exercise caution at all times. Our thoughts and condolences go out to the family and friends of Eugene Laughridge as they navigate through this difficult time.

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– Monday collision victim identified as Morganton man
– Salisbury Post, exclude numbers and the word.