Interstate 77 Claims Two Lives – Surry County EMS director and also the county medical examiner, John Shelton, says the first wreck occurred on Tuesday evening in the southbound lane of the interstate near the 91-mile marker around 10 p.m, when a tractor-trailer ran over a scooter and its driver, while the second happened on Wednesday in Yadkin County.
The Tuesday victim was identified as a 50-year old Todd Gillespie, of Red Brush Road who died on the scene.
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Shelton reports that, although Gillespie was run over by a truck, it seems he was previously struck by another vehicle or had other issue as he was already down on the asphalt.
It is known to be illegal for scooters and mopeds to be on the highway after dark, so among the questions under investigation is reason why Gillespie was traveling on the interstate.
The first occurred Tuesday evening in Surry County, while the second one took place in Yadkin County on Wednesday, but the second victim was declared dead at Hugh-Chatham Memorial Hospital in Elkin.
According to Shelton “The two vehicles would be going at such different speeds … the overtake speed would be incredible, especially at that time of night when it would be difficult to see,”
The second 1-77 incident happened in Yadkin County, although Shelton reports of not having much knowledge about the incident but was called in because the victim was taken to Hugh-Chatham hospital in Elkin where the victim was pronounced dead. Details about the identity of the second victim was not released.
In the second incident, that happened on Wednesday, a vehicle ran under the back trailer portion of a tractor-trailer, says Shelton.