A single-vehicle crash on Interstate 77 in Iredell County resulted in the death of a Statesville man on Friday evening.
According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, the incident occurred around 7:50 p.m. near mile marker 64 in the Harmony area. Authorities say a 1999 Ford Ranger traveling southbound veered off the right side of the highway, struck a guardrail, overturned, and traveled down an embankment.
The driver, identified as 38-year-old Elmer Adalberto Romero Giron of Statesville, was pronounced dead at the scene.
An adult passenger and two juvenile passengers were also in the vehicle at the time of the crash. All three were transported to local hospitals with injuries described as non-life-threatening.
Investigators determined that neither speed nor impairment appeared to be factors in the crash. A blown back right tire is believed to have caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
The southbound lanes of I-77 were partially closed for approximately two hours while emergency crews and investigators responded to the scene.
