5 Things to Know: Four Dead in Traffic-Related Incidents This Week

Four Dead in Traffic-Related Incidents This Week

Four people were killed in traffic-related incidents this week, making 64 total traffic-related fatalities on Charlotte streets thus far in 2024, surpassing the total that occurred in all of 2022 and nearing the total of 70 that occurred on Charlotte streets in 2023.

The first tragic traffic-related incident took place shortly after 2 p.m. on Tuesday, when 47-year-old Aneesah Akbar and her passenger, 74-year-old Darlene Akbar, were both killed by an apparent reckless driver who was speeding on East W.T. Harris Boulevard near The Plaza. The driver struck the Camry the Akbars were in as they took a left turn across Harris Boulevard. The driver of the Hyundai, who was transported to he hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, was found to be impaired. Upon his release from the hospital, he was arrested and charged with two counts of felony death by vehicle, reckless driving, and driving with no license.

In the above map of deaths due to traffic-related incidents in Charlotte in 2024, red markers signify a person killed in their car, black markers signify pedestrian deaths, purple markers signify motorcycle deaths, yellow markers signify pedestrians killed by trains, and green markers signify deaths involving micro-mobility vehicles such as bicycles, scooters, skateboards and wheelchairs.

At approximately 2:50 a.m. the next day, first responders were called to a motor vehicle crash with injuries on Archdale Drive near Kings Branch Court in southwest Charlotte, where they located a black Toyota Tacoma with heavy front-end damage against a tree. Two occupants were located inside of the Toyota with life-threatening injuries. Medic transported both occupants to Atrium Health Main, where the front passenger, 22-year-old Ever Elizand Castillo-Guardado, was pronounced dead. The driver of the Toyota, who had not been identified at the time of this writing, was listed in critical condition.

A preliminary investigation indicated that the driver of the Toyota was traveling northeast on Archdale Drive when they veered off the left side of the road and struck a tree. Speed and alcohol impairment are suspected to be contributing factors of this crash. Neither occupant was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.

Shortly after 5 p.m. Thursday, first responders were called to a motorcycle wreck on Highland Creek Parkway in northeast Charlotte, where they located 34-year-old Gregory Glisson Jr. lying dead on the sidewalk near his motorcycle. A preliminary investigation indicated that Glisson was traveling south on Highland Creek Parkway at a high rate of speed when he lost control of the motorcycle, veered off the right side of the roadway and struck a pole. Speed is believed to be a contributing factor in this crash. He was the second motorcyclist killed in a wreck on Charlotte streets in less than a week and the tenth this year.

Early Voting Begins in North Carolina

Early voting kicked off in Mecklenburg County and around the state on Thursday, with a record number of voters turning out across North Carolina. In total, 353,166 votes were cast in person by day’s end, compared to the previous record of 348,559 cast on the first day of early voting for the 2020 general election.

In a release on Friday, Adrienne Kelly, co-executive director of nonpartisan voting rights organization Democracy North Carolina, said the high turnout speaks to both the enthusiasm and concerns of voters about this year’s election.

“As a presidential election, of course we expect more voters to be engaged, but there are also serious decisions and stark contrasts between candidates and their policies on health care, housing, the environment, and other critical issues up and down the ballot,” Kelly said. “At Democracy NC, we encourage voters to ‘do their homework’ and to research candidates at their local, state and national levels, and identify those whose values are aligned with their own.

“Local elections are particularly impactful on one’s daily life,” she continued. “Voters should come prepared with their candidate selections and their voter photo ID in hand.”

Read more: Down-Ballot Races You Should Be Paying Attention To This Election Season

The state’s voter assistance hotline, 888-OUR-VOTE, received nearly 300 calls on the first day of early voting this year, most of which involved long lines in counties across the state, ranging from 45 minutes to three hours, with reports of aggressive electioneering and calls inquiring information on voter registration.

One common voter question related to the address on one’s ID versus registration. For clarity: The address on an ID does not matter, as the law says ID is only used to prove who you are, not where you live. However, a voter’s registration must match their current address. In addition, voters who cannot provide a photo ID at the polls can vote a provisional ballot and either complete an ID Exception Form or bring their acceptable photo ID to their county elections board by Nov. 14.

There are currently 33 early voting sites open around Mecklenburg County. Find them here.

Governor Provides Helene Recovery Updates

Gov. Roy Cooper provided updates on Hurricane Helene recovery efforts on Tuesday morning before traveling to Buncombe County to survey the damage there. He also issued an executive order Tuesday that allows the NC Division of Water Resources to accelerate the timelines for repair to numerous facilities and other infrastructure damaged by Helene to ensure that impacted North Carolinians are able to obtain access to safe drinking water and wastewater treatment as soon as possible.

On Tuesday, Cooper said the Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) newly formed task force believed there were still 92 people unaccounted for in North Carolina following the storm, though that number is expected to continue to fluctuate as more reports come in and others are resolved in the coming days and weeks. The number was at 89 by Wednesday, though the DPS continued to stress that it is not a “definitive count.”

Read more: Charlotte Musicians Launch DIY Drives to Aid in Helene Recovery

Meanwhile, Visit NC now hosts an interactive Travel Advisory Map that updates visitors on which towns are open to visitors and which ones remain closed, as well as the status of major highways in the western North Carolina area.

“If you are considering a visit to Western North Carolina, reach out to the community and businesses you want to visit to ensure they are open and welcoming visitors, and consult DriveNC.gov to identify open roads and a safe route to your destination,” the website reads.

CRTPO Approves Moving Forward with I-77 Toll Lanes

Following Monday night’s vote by Charlotte City Council to move forward with plans to construct express toll lanes on the southern stretch of I-77 between Brookshire Boulevard and the South Carolina border, the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization (CRTPO) voted in the same direction on Wednesday.

The CRTPO vote was needed to give the green light to planners with NC DOT, which is spearheading the project, but with Charlotte’s weighted vote on the board, Wednesday’s vote was merely a formality following Charlotte City Council’s vote on Monday.

Read more: NC DOT Presents I-77 South Toll Lane Plan

Still, Wednesday’s CRTPO vote did give a glimpse at how governing bodies around the greater Charlotte area view the plan, as four Mecklenburg municipalities — Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson and Matthews — as well as the board’s Mecklenburg County rep voted against the project. Mint Hill, Pineville and Mooresville are all onboard with the plan.

Municipalities in South Carolina, where about 40% of the drivers who utilize the toll lanes would expectedly reside, do not have representation on CRTPO.

The estimated project cost for the I-77 South Express Lanes would be about $3.7 billion, with most of the funding coming from a private partner that would be in charge of financing, constructing, operating and maintaining the toll lanes. The NC Turnpike Authority estimates that $600 million in State Transportation Improvement Program funding would “likely” cover any needed public contribution.

Charlotte Homicide Total Reaches 103

Three people were killed in acts of violence in Charlotte this week, bringing the total number of homicides as tracked by Queen City Nerve to 103 compared to the 98 that we tracked all of last year.

This week’s violence began on Monday, when police responded to a check-the-welfare call on North Sharon Amity Road near Central Avenue and located 25-year-old Jose Mejia-Gaona dead from a gunshot wound. His death is being investigated as a homicide.

In the above map tracking homicides in Charlotte in 2024, black markers signify deaths by gun violence, green markers signify killings that may be deemed justified, red markers signify stabbings, yellow markers signify murder by vehicle, purple markers signify deaths by trauma or unknown causes, and blue markers signify police killings.

Shortly after 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday, police responded to a shooting call on Reid Avenue in the Reid Park neighborhood, where they found 56-year-old Curtis Alvin Sherer dead from a gunshot wound. Then shortly after 10 p.m. on Thursday, police responded to an assault call at the Arcadia Student Living apartment complex in University City, where they found 25-year-old Justice Timmons dead. Timmons’ cause of death is unclear.

No arrests have been announced in any of the above incidents at the time of this writing.