Hames dies in accident

A family with Gaffney roots is facing another tragedy in the wake of a Wednesday afternoon accident that claimed the life of a 25-yearold Rutherfordton, N.C., man.

Travis Kent Hames, of River Ridge Parkway, was killed Wednesday afternoon when a car he was riding in ran off Coxe Road in Rutherfordton and struck a tree, according to Sgt. David Brown of the North Carolina Highway Patrol.

The driver of the vehicle, a 1985 BMW sedan, was listed as Heath Taber Hyde, also of Rutherfordton.

Sgt. Brown said the afternoon incident remains under investigation by accident reconstructors but indicated speed was believed to have been a factor in the crash.

In 1996, Hames' father was killed when his plane crashed on property owned by his family near the Union County line.

EMS officials said Randall Kent Hames was taking off from a private airstrip the morning of April 26 when his single engine aircraft clipped some trees, crashed and burst into flames.

Randall Hames was president of Hames Music in Gaffney. He was preparing to celebrate his 40th birthday at the time of his death. The elder Hames was an avid air enthusiast whose hobby involved collecting, selling and flying aircraft. He performed in numerous air shows and once sold an airplane to actor John Travolta.

According to his obituary, Travis Hames shared his father's love of flying. He was a pilot and was active in many areas of aviation.

Hames Music opened its first store in The Mall Gaffney in 1975. Under Randall Hames' direction, the store grew into one of the most successful music stores in the Southeast.

Travis Hames' obituary appears on Page 8A.