CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- An early Sunday morning accident ends up killing the driver, and sending the passenger to the hospital.

It happened off of Old Concord Road in northeast Charlotte.

Investigators believe the driver of the car was driving too fast when he hit a sharp curve in the road. That caused the car to run off the road.

The car collided with a utility pole and struck a building. Firefighters had to use the Jaws of Life to get the victims out of the car.

The driver, Vernard Whitfield, was pronounced dead at the scene.

A female passenger was taken to Carolinas Medical Center with life threatening injuries. Her name has not been released at this time.