According to state troopers, a 6-year-old boy was killed when a vehicle travelling at close to 100 mph on a North Carolina highway collided with his car.Trooper Ray Pierce said that the collision occurred at 9:28 p.m. along Highway U.S. 74, near Sparrow Springs Road. It was just outside of Bessemer City, Gaston County.Pierce couldn't confirm that the speeding car was drag racing. However, multiple witnesses reported to the Highway Patrol that they saw the Audi 2013 traveling east at a very high speed, along with a Dodge Charger 2016. The speed limit for highway traffic is 55 mph.Pierce stated that the two vehicles collided near Sparrow Springs Road. The Audi lost control and crossed a grass median to enter westbound lanes. It then struck a 2016 Nissan.Pierce stated that the boy and the Audi driver were both taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries. Pierce stated that the boy died on Sunday morning.The hospital continues to treat the Audi driver in critical condition.Pierce identified the Nissan driver as the boy's father figure. He sustained minor injuries and was released from hospital on Sunday night, according to the trooper.Pierce said that the Nissan driver was the father figure of the boy, even though they did not have any blood relations.Pierce didn't identify the drivers involved in this collision.Pierce stated that Pierce was rescued by an Audi driver who helped him get out of his car after it caught on fire.Pierce stated that interviews are currently being conducted to find out if the Audi or Dodge drivers were drag racing spontaneously.He said that we don't know the truth so we didn't say they were drag racing. We don't want to pass judgement.Pierce stated that charges will be filed once troopers confer with the Gaston County District Attorneys Office.Extreme speedingResidents living near Saturday's accident scene say they frequently hear or see cars speeding down U.S. Highway 74.Continue the storyZachary Brown, Observer news partner WBTV, said that although I hear less at night, I hear more trucks and motorcycles, and other racing sounds.A report published by The Charlotte Observer, The News & Observer of Raleigh earlier this month found that North Carolina drivers are now exceedingly speedy. Drivers can fly 20-30 mph faster than the speed limit. Some drivers have been caught speeding at nearly 200 mph by law enforcement officers.Over the last five years, more than 1,800 people have been killed in speed-related accidents.Fatal head-on collision last WednesdayGaston County is the second instance in which a child has died in a head-on collision in Charlotte in the last week.Allison Faith Presley (20 years old) of Indian Trail, and her 3-year old son Aiden were killed when their SUV crossed into the oncoming traffic on N.C 16 in Lincoln County. The vehicle collided with a pickup truck head-on, as previously reported by the Observer. Two other people were also hurt in the crash.Troopers believe Presley might have fallen asleep while driving. All the occupants were wearing their seat belts. Aiden was in a car, but troopers claim it wasn't properly installed.
