Highway Patrol identifies drivers killed in US 601 crash
Published 7:26 pm Tuesday, August 31, 2021
- Carl Blankenship/Salisbury Post - The burned remains of one of the vehicles involved in the July 12th wreck on U.S. 601.
SALISBURY — The identities of a Mocksville man and East Spencer woman were released after a fatal and fiery crash on U.S. 601 that also killed a child on July 12.
Gildardo Vargas, a 36-year-old Mocksville man, illegally passed another car while driving south on U.S. 601 near the Davie County line, Highway Patrol trooper Ned Moultrie said Tuesday. While driving south in the northbound lanes, Vargas’ vehicle struck a car driven by Frances Belinda Rios, a 35-year-old East Spencer resident.
The name of a child who was also in the car with Rios was not released.
Immediately after the head-on collision, the vehicle driven by Vargas ignited and burned while he was in the car. Because his body was burned, there was a delay in identifying him.
All three victims were pronounced dead at the scene and no charges were filed.
Because Vargas illegally crossed in an area where there were double-yellow lines, Moultrie said the Mocksville man caused the crash.
