CLAREMONT, N.C. — A tragic crash in Catawba County claimed the lives of two young passengers in the early morning hours of Thursday, July 17, 2025, prompting a criminal investigation and charges against the driver.
According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, troopers responded to the scene around 2:15 a.m. on Boggs Road near Hunsucker Drive after a 2013 Ford Fusion traveling westbound lost control. The vehicle crossed the center line, veered off the left side of the road, overturned, and struck several trees.
Authorities say the driver, 21-year-old Braiden Edward Cole, of Catawba, sustained minor injuries and was transported to a nearby hospital. His front-seat passenger, 53-year-old Donnie Wayne Wilson Jr., of Claremont, was seriously injured and also taken to the hospital for treatment.
Tragically, the two backseat passengers—a juvenile female and 19-year-old Savanah Averie Saine, of Valdese—were pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators noted that neither was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.
Preliminary findings suggest impairment played a role in the crash. As a result, Cole has been charged with driving while impaired and two counts of felony death by motor vehicle.
Boggs Road was closed for several hours as officials conducted their investigation. The North Carolina State Highway Patrol is continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The loss of Savanah Saine and the young girl has left two communities grieving, with family and friends now faced with unimaginable heartbreak. Loved ones are urging drivers to make safer choices behind the wheel and reminding all passengers to buckle up—every time.
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