By Steve Huffman

shuffman@salisburypost.com

CLEVELAND — Shawn Potter and her husband, Tim, awoke early Saturday to the sound of voices outside their house.

Shawn glanced out the window and saw one of the couple's two horses loose in the yard. It was about 2:30 a.m.

"My first thought was that someone was trying to steal our horses," she said.

That wasn't the case, but what happened was far worse. A car had slammed into the Potters' property, the accident resulting in the death of the driver.

James R. Cuthbertson, 22, of 263 Springway Lane, Cleveland, was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to the N.C. Highway Patrol, Cuthbertson was driving a 2000 Lincoln east on U.S. 70 when he crossed the center line and ran off the left side of the road. His car struck a telephone box and a flag pole that was cemented in the ground before striking a pair of vehicles in the Potters' driveway.

The Lincoln then careened into a garage, knocking the structure from its foundation. The car came to rest inside the garage.

The Potters said a Highway Patrol trooper told them the Lincoln was traveling between 90 and 100 mph when it left the roadway.

The Potters live at 14580 Statesville Blvd., just west of Shaver Wood Products and close to the Iredell County line.

They said damage to their parked vehicles — a 1999 Ford pickup and a 2004 Hyundai — was extensive, as was damage to their garage.

But Shawn said any concerns they have about property damage pale in comparison to the tragedy the Cuthbertson family has experienced.

"We are devastated for that family," Shawn said. "Our things can be replaced, but they can't get their son back."

She said their horses — a pair of mares named Rose and Princess — were fenced not far from the garage. Shawn said that had the horses been a few feet closer to the garage, they would have been killed.

As it was, the horses were spooked and jumped from the small corral following the accident, both slightly injured in the process.

Injured in the accident were a pair of passengers in the Lincoln. Michael N. Mott of Statesville was airlifted to Carolinas Medical Center where he was in good condition Monday. Mark D. Everhart of Cleveland suffered minor injuries.

Shawn Potter said her Ford pickup was totaled in the accident and her husband's Hyundai may also be totaled.

She said the couple use the garage to store hay, but it's now so badly damaged they're afraid to set foot inside.

Shawn said the accident has resulted in a fair amount of interest from people wanting to see the damage. She said describing to people where they live isn't difficult.

"We're easy to spot," Shawn said. "We have the home that looks like it's in a war zone."

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