Fatal accident shuts down I-26 West at Long Shoals Road

WLOS — ASHEVILLE, N.C. --A fatal accident Sunday shut down I-26 and has two agencies investigating what caused it.

Troopers with the North Carolina Highway Patrol tell us two separate crash scenes involving the same person started just before 9 pm Sunday evening.

The first crash began as a domestic situation in the vicinity of the McDonald's on Long Shoals Road they said.

"A gentleman struck his girlfriend's car then drug her from her car into his," said Sgt. Brian Tucker with the North Carolina Highway Patrol.

Tucker says he then drove her onto I-26 westbound, stopped near the top of the ramp and continued fighting and arguing.

"Some passersby that had witnessed the incident at McDonald's stopped and intervened," he said. "They were able to get the keys out of the vehicle to prevent him from driving off and also get the young lady away from him."

Tucker says that's when one of the Good Samaritans called 911 and noticed the man get out of the car and run into oncoming traffic.

"He was initially struck by a tractor trailer and that spun him back into the right lane and two other vehicles also struck him," Tucker said.

Tucker said one of those vehicles left the scene before troopers arrived.

Asheville Police confirmed there is an ongoing criminal investigation into the initial crash and domestic situation.

The Highway Patrol is investigating the second crash along the interstate.

I-26 reopened just before midnight

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