‘It’s devastating’: Neighbor remembers family killed in Cabarrus County car crash
While he mourns this tragic loss, Charles Nelson says his heart is heaviest for the 12-year-old boy who lost his life.
CABARRUS COUNTY, N.C. (WBTV) - Charles Nelson takes pride in knowing his neighbors.
In his East Charlotte community, those who know him refer to him as “The Mayor.”
He’s lived in his townhome for nearly 19 years, and befriended the Gheorghe family when they moved in a few doors down from him four years ago.
“They speak English a little bit, but mainly Italiano. I speak a few languages brokenly,” Nelson said. “That’s why I was really good friends with them, like family.”
He says he would often eat meals and visit with the family, and even bought his dog from them earlier this year.
That closeness made Wednesday’s news of a deadly car crash in Cabarrus County even harder to swallow.
Three people were killed. Cabarrus County deputies confirmed 49-year-old Nicolae Gheorghe died, as well as a woman and 12-year-old boy. Deputies also confirmed all three were in the same family.
“I heard the news from the family members that was here visiting,” Nelson said. “They were laying in the grass crying. They didn’t say that anyone passed away, they just stated to me that someone was in an accident.”
Nelson says Gheorghe and his wife and son were in town from Norwood but would often visit Charlotte to see family.
He says they were in town for a wedding Tuesday night, and were heading home Wednesday morning when they were in that fatal crash.
While he mourns this tragic loss, Nelson says his heart is heaviest for the 12-year-old boy who lost his life.
“I was just with him yesterday,” Nelson said. “That little boy was very precious to me. He was going to be the best soccer player in the world. I think he would’ve been, and he was just 12.”
Cabarrus County deputies say the cause of the crash was a van traveling eastbound on Highway 24, abruptly swerving into the westbound lane of traffic traveling towards Mecklenburg County.
At this time, deputies are still investigating what exactly led to the van swerving into the westbound lane of Highway 24.
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