IRON STATION, N.C. A driver is dead, and another man is recovering from serious injuries following a fiery head-on crash Wednesday morning in Lincoln County, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.
What Happened On NC 27
Troopers say the crash happened around 11:15 a.m. near Long Circle on NC 27. A 2001 Ford Expedition was heading west when it crossed the center line and slammed head on into a 2016 Volvo traveling east. The impact was severe enough that the Ford burst into flames shortly after the collision.
The driver of the Volvo, 59-year-old Tracy Dale Mosteller of Vale, died at the scene. Troopers say Mosteller had no chance to avoid the wreck once the Ford crossed into his lane.
The driver of the Ford, identified as Kevin Lee Long of Iron Station, was pulled from the burning vehicle and airlifted to Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. His age has been reported as both 52 and 53 in separate accounts, and his condition remains serious as he continues treatment.
Investigation Points To Impairment
Highway Patrol investigators say early evidence in the case suggests impairment may have played a role in causing the wreck, though the investigation is still active. No charges have been filed yet, but troopers say that is expected to change once investigators finish piecing together the full sequence of events leading up to the crash.
As is standard procedure in fatal wrecks of this severity, NC 27 was shut down for several hours on Wednesday so troopers could document the scene, measure skid marks and debris fields, and clear the roadway safely. Drivers in the area were forced to seek alternate routes during the closure, and traffic in the small Lincoln County community backed up as crews worked.
Long Circle sits in a rural stretch of Lincoln County near Iron Station, an area known for two-lane roads with a 55-mile-per-hour speed limit and limited shoulder space, conditions that can turn any head-on crash into a life-threatening event.
Community members in the area have voiced concerns in the past about speeding and passing on that stretch of highway.
Mosteller’s death marks another loss for a county that has seen a string of serious traffic collisions on its rural highways in recent months. Neighbors describe Vale and the surrounding communities as tight-knit, and news of the fatal crash spread quickly among residents who knew the Mosteller family.
The Highway Patrol has not released a timeline for when charges might be filed against Long. Anyone with information about the crash is encouraged to contact local troopers as the investigation continues.
