Highway 64 west closed for lengthy period, many detour through Qualla
By Becky Long
Publisher
A head-on car accident Saturday evening sent several people to the hospital and left one man charged with reckless driving.
Alvaro Antonio Jimenez-Cortez was traveling east toward Hayesville at about 4:30 p.m. on Highway 64 when his 2006 Mazda crossed the centerline into the path of Nicholas Freeman Busha, of Toccoa, Ga., according to the accident report filed by N.C. Trooper Isaac Boring.
Busha was driving a 2017 Lincoln traveling toward Murphy. His vehicle went off the roadway to the right in an attempt to avoid the collision, according to the report, but Jimenez-Cortez’s Mazda struck Busha’s car head-on. Cortez came to rest in the center of the roadway while Busha’s car ended up in a private driveway.
Both vehicles were estimated to have been traveling the 55 mile per hour speed limit. Jimenez-Cortez was charged with reckless driving.
The accident resulted in serious injuries and multiple hospital transports, confirmed an emergency worker. Clay County had its two ambulance crews working the scene and Cherokee County sent two ambulances.
Two people were transported via Life Force helicopter from Hayesville including an 11 year-old girl. The ambulance transport to Erlanger Murphy Medical Center also resulted in an air flight to another medical facility. Updates regarding their medical conditions were not available at press time.
Neither vehicle was drivable after the crash. Damages to Busha’s Lincoln was an estimated $12,500. Jimenez-Cortez’s damages were estimated at $4,500.