A fiery crash near the Seven Lakes community has claimed the life of a local teenager, Matthew Patterson,19.
The incident happened overnight on Holly Grove School Road, near Dowd Road, and was called in around 7 a.m. Wednesday by a Moore County Schools Police Officer passing by the scene.
When emergency crews arrived, a Chevy four-door sedan was completely burned, along with some nearby brush. Firefighters on the scene told Sandhills Sentinel that the fire was extinguished prior to their arrival and that the car was cool to the touch.
According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol investigating the crash, Patterson was traveling on Holly Grove School Road toward Dowd Road when he lost control, crossed the centerline, hit a ditch, and rolled twice before landing upside down approximately 50 yards from the road. Speed was believed to be a factor in the crash.
He was ejected from the vehicle and was found about 20 yards from the car. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Responding to the crash were Seven Lakes Fire Department, Moore County Sheriff’s Department, NC State Highway Patrol, Moore County EMS, and Burgess Towing.
~Article and photo by Sandhills Sentinel Reporter Patrick Priest.
