Police have charged a local doctor with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle after a car crash that occurred yesterday afternoon in south Charlotte claimed the life of another motorist.
The wreck happened yesterday around 5:25 p.m. in the 4500 block of Rea Road, located near MacAndrew Drive and about a mile north of Pineville-Matthews Road. Traffic in this area was backed up for hours as police shut down Rea Road between Colony and Pineville-Matthews roads to investigate. The road finally reopened last night, just after midnight.
Police said a 2009 Chevy Tahoe, driven by Dr. Barry Davis, was heading south on Rea when it swerved into the northbound lane, striking a Blue Max dump truck which was driven by 58-year-old Richard Gaddy. According to police, the impact caused the truck to veer into the other lane, slamming head-on into a 2002 Jaguar X-Type driven by Edward Gillespie Miller, who had been traveling southbound on Rea Road.
Miller was trapped in his car and paramedics pronounced him dead within about 15 minutes of the crash. Davis and Gaddy were not injured.
Police say speed and alcohol were not factors in the wreck but exactly what caused Davis to hit the truck is still not clear. There is some speculation that fatigue may have played a role in the accident. According to police, Dr. Davis worked a 12 to 13-hour shift on the day of the crash. However, the incident remains under investigation and it remains unclear why the SUV swerved into the dump truck.
