Man killed in head-on crash

Ledger photos by TARA JENNINGS Authorities examine debris after two pickup trucks collided head-on Tuesday on Rutherford Street in Blacksburg. A passenger in the vehicle that appears in the large photo was pronounced dead at the scene. Three other people, including a 5-year-old, were transported to Upstate Carolina Medical Center. A local man was killed Tuesday in a head-on collision in Blacksburg.

Cherokee County Assistant Coroner Glenn Fuller pronounced 60-year-old Donald Ray Deaton of 231 Tucker Road, Blacksburg, dead at the scene of the accident about one-half mile east of the town limits. An autopsy will be conducted today, Fuller said.

The wreck occurred shortly after 5 p.m. on Rutherford Street near Blacksburg High School.

Deaton was a passenger in an eastbound 1994 Chevy S-10 pickup driven by 36-year-old Melvin A. Jolly of 284 Blackwell Road, Blacksburg, said Lance Cpl. Bryan McDougald of the S.C. Highway Patrol.

Jolly’s vehicle collided with a westbound 1986 Ford pickup driven by 43-year-old Kathy Stapleton of 200 Byers Circle, Blacksburg, McDougald said. Stapleton had a 5year-old passenger, Neven Simon, also of 200 Byers Circle, in her vehicle.

Deaton was trapped in the passenger side of the truck.

Jolly, Stapleton and Simon were all transported to Upstate Carolina Medical Center. All four people were properly restrained, McDougald said.

The Highway Patrol accident reconstruction team is continuing the investigation to determine which vehicle crossed the center line, McDougald said. The wreck occurred in a 45 mph zone.