It was still not clear Thursday what caused a driver to run into the back of a food truck Sunday on Interstate 85, causing a wreck that killed a local restaurant owner.
Israel Delgado Guerrero, 48, of the 1400 block of Ludwick Heights Lane, was thrown from the truck he was driving around 9 a.m., near exit 71 at Peeler Road.
Guerrero owned La Ceiba Mexican restaurant, located on Mooresville Road.
A Highway Patrol report said Amy Honeycutt Mitchell, 40, of Salisbury, was traveling behind Guerrero in an Acura when she failed to reduce her speed and hit his truck.
Guerrero lost control and the truck ran off the highway to the right, where he struck a small ditch and several trees. He was thrown from the truck and it rolled over on top of him, a report said.
Guerrero was not wearing a seat belt.
Mitchell was driving the posted speed limit of 65 mph, and the report does not detail what factors that may have contributed to the crash. The report does not indicate Mitchell was intoxicated or had a medical emergency. She and a young boy were the only occupants of the car and sustained minor injuries. Both were taken by ambulance to Carolinas Medical Center-NorthEast in Concord.
Mitchell was charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle and failure to reduce speed.
Guerrero’s neighbor, Dan Poteat, said Thursday he was “a good guy, and he will really be missed.”
He’s lived next door to Guerrero and his family for several years and attended the funeral services at Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
Poteat said if he ever needed help with anything, Guerrero never hesitated.
La Ceiba employees were not able to provide comments.
Contact reporter Shavonne Potts at 704-797-4253.