23-year-old Zechariah McGalliard of Newton has been charged in connection with a fatal crash Saturday afternoon (June 1) in Caldwell County. He was charged with failure to reduce speed and misdemeanor death by vehicle.
The accident occurred just before 2:20 p.m. Saturday as McGalliard was driving a 2000 3500 Dodge Ram pickup truck pulling a boat southbound on U.S. 321 near Coy Hartley Lane. McGalliard’s truck rear-ended a Ford Maverick. The impact caused the Ford to hit the side of a Toyota Camry and a utility trailer that was pulled by a 1999 Dodge pickup truck, which was turning right into Coy Hartley Lane.
McGalliard was taken to the hospital. The driver of the Maverick and a passenger were also hospitalized. The passenger, 77-year-old Bonnie Coffey of Granite Falls, was pronounced deceased at Caldwell U.N.C. Health Care.
The Hudson Police Department’s investigation into the crash shows that McGalliard contributed to the accident by failing to reduce speed to avoid a collision. He was processed at the Magistrate’s office and given a $10,000 secured bond.
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