MARS HILL – The State Highway Patrol said they do not believe texting or speeding were factors in the Jan. 30 three-car collision in Mars Hill in which a Madison High senior was killed and another Madison High senior was hospitalized.
Kyera Byas, 17, died after turning left out of her driveway near Petersburg Transmission, along N.C. 213 and being struck by a French Broad Electric Membership Corporation utility truck , according to North Carolina State Highway Patrol Sgt. P.J. Morgan
The passenger in Byas’ vehicle, Adriyanna Moreno, 18, was transported to Mission Hospital and sustained life-threatening injuries, but was in stable condition as of Jan. 30, Morgan said.
Morgan said he does not anticipate either speeding or texting to be reasons for the collision, according to the Highway Patrol’s preliminary investigation.
“We never could find a phone,” Morgan said. “From witnesses, we don’t believe that was the case. We don’t believe that texting was a factor.
“We do not believe that speed’s a factor. That’s part of the investigation that we’re still pursuing.”