SALISBURY — Two Salisbury men were seriously injured in a head-on collision Thursday evening on Old Concord Road

One man had to be freed from his vehicle, N.C. Highway Patrol officials said.

The crash occurred at 5:20 p.m. at 5425 Old Concord Road, just north of Yost Road and not far from Webb Road. It’s not clear what caused one driver to cross the center line, said Trooper C.T. Walker.

Walker said Brian Maher, 48, was traveling north on Old Concord Road, headed toward Salisbury, when he crossed the center line in his Toyota minivan. He collided with a Mercedes driven by 47-year-old Dwight Bradshaw, who was traveling south on Old Concord Road.

The trooper said the vehicles struck headlight to headlight on the driver’s side of each car. Maher was pinned inside his van for about 1o to 15 minutes and had to be freed by firefighters.

Maher was traveling with two dogs, one of which died at the scene. The dog was a therapy dog for Maher’s wife, the trooper said. Rowan County Animal Control helped Maher’s wife with the dead dog and took the other dog to a local animal hospital.

Walker said the dog that survived is in training to become a therapy dog. Maher’s wife told the trooper the dogs were trained and would not have been a distraction to her husband.

Maher and Bradshaw were both taken to Carolinas Medical Center NorthEast in Concord by Rowan County EMS. Walker said both men’s injuries are serious but not life-threatening.

Alcohol and speed were not factors in the crash, Walker said. Both men were estimated to be driving between 40 mph and 45 mph. The speed limit along that stretch of road changes from 45 mph to 55 mph.

Both men were wearing seat belts, and the air bags did deploy in both vehicles.

The trooper said neither man recalled what happened in the crash and both had head injuries.

Bostian Heights Fire Department, Rowan County Rescue Squad and Rowan EMS responded to the accident.

Bradshaw was treated and released, according to officials with Carolinas Medical Center NorthEast. They could not provide details about Maher but confirmed that he was listed as a patient there.

Maher was charged with driving left of center.

Contact reporter Shavonne Walker at 704-797-4253.