By Mark Wineka
mwineka@salisburypost.com
The pastor of a 17-year-old West Rowan High student killed in a vehicle accident Saturday said the boy was an outgoing, typical kid from a close-knit family.
Marc Joseph Payette of 120 Catawba Drive, Salisbury, died early Saturday morning after his pickup hit a tree on Centenary Church Road 13 miles west of Salisbury.
The Rev. Steve Holshouser, pastor of Calvary Baptist Tabernacle on Stokes Ferry Road, said Sunday that funeral arrangements were not yet complete, pending an autopsy on the teenager today.
“He was a good young man,” Holshouser said.
Payette, his mother and brother had been attending Calvary Baptist Tabernacle for about eight years.
Marc Payette pretty much grew up in the church’s youth program, Holshouser said, and he described Payette as somewhat of an outdoorsman.
Sgt. Stephen Pace of the N.C. Highway Patrol said Payette, driving a 1998 Dodge truck, tried to pass a 2000 Ford truck driven by Justin William Presnell, 17, of 160 Bren Lane, Salisbury.
Both trucks were traveling north on Centenary Church Road just before 3 a.m. Saturday.
“From my understanding, both knew each other,” Pace said.
As Payette’s truck passed, it apparently came back into the right lane too soon and hit the other truck, causing the Dodge to veer off the road to the right and strike a tree.
Pace said the investigating trooper’s report indicated Payette was going at least 65 mph in the 55 mph zone.
Presnell’s injuries were not serious. Payette was taken to Lake Norman Regional Medical Center, according to Pace.
The highway patrol received its first call about the accident at 2:52 a.m. Saturday.
Centenary Church Road runs in a north-south direction between N.C. 801 and N.C. 150.
Lyerly Funeral Home will be in charge of Payette’s services.