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Speed believed to be a factor in crash that killed teen, troopers say

ALEXANDER COUNTY, N.C. — A teenager died in a crash Monday night on Jay Burke Road north of Taylorsville, troopers said.

The North Carolina Highway Patrol said the Cole Carson, 17, lost control and slid off the roadway.

Authorities believe speed was a factor.

The car began to flip in Zachery Porter’s front yard. Once the car came to a rest, Porter rushed to the scene.

Carson and his passenger were ejected from the vehicle.

Carson graduated from Alexander Central High School last year and he was going to turn 18 years old Friday.

"Unbelievable,” Carson’s grandmother, Peggy Carson, said. “I would never have dreamed nothing, nothing this horrible would happen. I lost my angel baby."

The Highway Patrol said the car was traveling well above the speed limit when the crash happened. Residents who live nearby said the road is deceiving because of a curve and sudden dropoff.

"Something needs to be done because it is happening over and over and over again," Porter said.

They said there have been several crashes here before and believe a guardrail may be needed to keep people safe.

"This needs to be fixed because all it takes is for your tire to slip off the road,” resident Babs Odom said. "My heart goes out to the families. Prayers for peace for them."

The passenger has life-threatening injuries. Officials been unable to identify him.

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