FROM STAFF REPORTS

The Statesville Police Department is investigating a crash that claimed the life of a Statesville woman on Thursday evening.

While investigating a shooting about 7:30 p.m. Thursday, SPD investigators came upon a crash in the 1200 block of Fourth Street, police said in a news release. 

A 2018 Kia Rio operated by Antonio McDonald was traveling north on 4th Street at a high rate of speed when it collided with a tree on the southbound shoulder, according to the news release.

An SPD sergeant, along with bystanders, cut the seat belt off McDonald and pulled him from the vehicle to safety.

Other officers, along with Statesville Fire Department personnel, arrived on scene, extinguished a fire and pulled a second individual, identified as Jamila Mills, from the backseat of the vehicle.

The front seat passenger, identified as Lesia Faye Marlowe of Statesville, died on impact, police said.

McDonald was transported to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, where he went into surgery. He was in the ICU in critical but stable condition on Friday afternoon.

Mills was also transported to WFBMC, where she also underwent surgery. She was in the ICU in critical condition.

The SPD Traffic Unit is investigating this accident. Anyone who has information involving this accident is asked to call 704-878-3406.