CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A passenger died and the driver was charged in a single-car crash Sunday morning in east Charlotte.
The crash happened around 7:22 a.m. and police shut down all lanes of Central Avenue between Sheridan and Medallion drives for hours as crews cleared the scene.
[IMAGES: Fatal crash in east Charlotte]
Erik Perales, the driver of the car, was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. He is charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle and reckless driving.
Police said passenger Jose Leal Gutierrez died at the scene.
Police said Perales was traveling above the posted 35 mph speed limit on Central Avenue, crossed a median into oncoming traffic and ran off the road and crashed into a tree.
Neither person in the car was wearing a seatbelt, officers said.