Alexander County, NC (September 21, 2026) - Justice McRay Boyette, 31, died at the scene, and Crystal Sue Austin, 56, of Lenoir, sustained serious injuries in a head-on truck collision on US 64 near Adams Pond Road in Alexander County, North Carolina, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.

Troopers responded at approximately 10:03 a.m. Monday to the crash east of Taylorsville. Investigators said Boyette was driving a westbound 2024 Ram tow truck when it crossed the center line and struck an oncoming 2023 Freightliner tractor-trailer head-on.

The Ram became engulfed in flames with Boyette trapped inside. Austin, the Freightliner driver, was airlifted to Carolina Medical Center Main Campus with serious injuries.

Taylorsville police Lt. Joseph Cohee said he saw smoke from about a mile away and went to the scene. Witnesses described flames spreading toward the tractor-trailer as Cohee and another person used fire extinguishers from their vehicles. Cohee said he also helped fire personnel after they arrived.

US 64 was closed for several hours while the Highway Patrol conducted its on-scene investigation. Troopers said no charges would be filed.

Transport Does Not Measure Every Injury Loss

Crystal Sue Austin was airlifted after the US 64 truck collision with serious injuries. The transport conveys urgency while leaving the amount and kind of loss to be established separately. Accident-related medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering may be different components of a bodily injury claim.

Those categories answer different questions. A bill records a charge for care; wage loss concerns earnings missed; pain and suffering concerns the personal experience of injury. Responsibility and applicable coverage remain separate questions before a payment can be considered.

For the seriously injured Freightliner driver, a truck accident lawyer can discuss the distinct information needed to assess actual treatment charges, any supported wage loss and personal effects of injury. The tow-truck driver’s death is a separate consequence of the same collision; neither person’s losses can be valued from the fact of an airlift or the crash scene alone.

Separate the Losses Before Estimating Them

When assessing a serious truck injury, identify actual care expenses, any supported time away from work and the personal effects that need explanation. Keep each category distinct rather than assigning a value based on the dramatic circumstances of transport.