Last Updated on March 7, 2018 7:20 pm
Update Friday March 9 – The Watauga County Sheriff's Office has been asked to provide assistance to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol with a single vehicle collision that occurred on Brookshire Road off NC Highway 194 North in Watauga County. The Sheriff's Office says that assistance was requested due to the fact that the individual involved in the wreck was found partially submerged in the creek approximately 200 feet north of where the vehicle came to rest.
Investigators with the Watauga County Sheriff's Office and Troopers with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol have gathered information and conducted interviews. As a result of the evidence collected at the wreck scene, information gathered, and the interviews conducted it has been determined that the victim of the wreck got out of the vehicle in an attempt to walk for help and fell into the creek succumbing to the frigid waters. There was no evidence to indicate any foul play in this incident. This incident has been referred to the Medical Examiner's Office at Baptist Hospital in Winston Salem, North Carolina pending final autopsy results.
The investigation into the death of a woman following a car accident is continuing.
On Wednesday evening officials with the Watauga County Sheriff's Department, Watauga Rescue and North Carolina Highway Patrol were dispatched to the area of Highway 194 North and Brookshire Road after a woman was found lying face down in the creek.
Earlier in the day fire and EMS units were dispatched to the same area for a single car accident. At that time the driver was not located. The North Carolina Highway Patrol says that a body was found in the middle of the creek about 150 to 200 feet away from the car. NCSHP also says that it is believed the woman was not thrown from the car but got out on her own.
March 7 7:20 pm – Authorities with the Watauga County Sheriff's Department, Watauga Rescue and other agencies are on the scene where a body was found in a creek this evening.
The location, in the area of Highway 194 North and Brookshire Road near the DOT maintenance offices, was the scene of a single vehicle wreck earlier in the day.
A local resident tells WataugaOnline.com that the victim was her aunt, but the victim's name has not been officially released by law enforcement officials as of Wednesday night.
Watauga County Sheriff Len Hangman tells WataugaOnline.com that his department responded to the scene and secured it until NCSHP arrived.
The story is developing and WataugaOnline.com will update as more information becomes available.
