A Valdese pastor was killed when his golf cart was hit by a car in Caldwell County on Saturday. The pastor’s wife was critically injured, according to the N.C. State Highway Patrol.
The driver of the vehicle that hit the golf cart, Cody Lyndon Pennell, 33, of Morganton, was with driving while impaired, N.C. State Highway Patrol Trooper Christopher Casey said.
Roy Shane Epps, 58, of Granite Falls, died from his injuries, Casey said. Epps was a pastor at Lakeview Baptist Church in Valdese, according to the church’s website.
On Saturday shortly after 3 p.m., the N.C. State Highway Patrol investigated a fatal collision in Caldwell County on Hickory Nut Ridge Road near Baton Church Road. A golf cart driven by Epps tried to turn left from a private driveway and pulled into the path of an eastbound 2018 Chevrolet Malibu driven by Pennell, Casey said.
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Epps was taken in a helicopter to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem. Epps died at the hospital, Casey said.
Epps’ wife Julie Safford Epps, 57, was a passenger in the golf cart. Julie Epps was taken to Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center with life-threatening injuries, Casey said. Pennell was not injured, Casey said.
Additional charges against Pennell are pending the completion of an investigation and consultation with the Caldwell County District Attorney’s Office.