Local

Police: Car speeding from hit-and-run caused fatal crash in north Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A man killed in a north Charlotte crash was driving nearly 100 mph on the wrong side of the road when he caused the wreck, police said.

The four-vehicle crash shut down WT Harris Boulevard for hours Thursday afternoon.

Police said that around 1:30 p.m., Gregory Pettis, driving a 2005 Chrysler 300, drove underneath a moving truck and caused a chain reaction of crashing cars.

Police said Pettis, 37, clipped a trailer, but instead of stopping, he hit a curb and accelerated into oncoming traffic.

Pettis hit a box truck that was making a U-turn before hitting two other cars. He died at the scene and four others suffered minor injuries, according to police.

A woman who was involved in the wreck, but was not seriously injured, said the car that hit the moving truck was driving on the wrong side of the road when it crashed.

“I wasn't sure if I was dead or alive,” said Natalie Frederick. “He was coming down the wrong side of the street. As the big truck was turning, he collided into it."

Read more top trending stories on wsoctv.com: