Troopers: One killed, another injured in Hickory suspected impaired driving crash

HICKORY, N.C. (WBTV) - One person is dead after a suspected impaired driving crash Saturday morning in Hickory.

Troopers with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol were called out to investigate the crash around 6:15 a.m. It happened on N.C. 127, close to Leslie Avenue.

Investigators say that a 1990 Ford Mustang was headed east on the highway before heading off the right side of the road, hitting a road sign and then a tree.

The driver was identified as Kiowa Chenoa Partin, 24, of Newton. He died at the scene. His passenger was taken to a hospital and is expected to be OK.

According to troopers, neither person had a seatbelt on and were both ejected from the car.

They also said the initial investigation shows that impairment and reckless driving were contributing factors to the crash.

Watch the latest WBTV broadcast here: