IFN Staff

A Statesville man was killed and three passengers were injured in a crash on Interstate 77 on Friday evening.

According to the N.C. State Highway Patrol, Elmer Adalberto Romero Giron, 38, was fatally injured when he lost control of the Ford Ranger he was operating.

Giron and three passengers were traveling south on I-77 near mile marker 64 in northern Iredell County about 7:50 p.m. when the pickup truck veered off the right side of the roadway, struck a guardrail, overturned, and went down an embankment, troopers said in a news release.

Giron was pronounced dead at the scene, troopers said.

An adult passenger and two juveniles were transported to area hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.

The initial investigation indicates the crash occurred after the back right tire blew out, causing the driver to lose control, according to the NCSHP.

During the on-scene investigation, I-77 south was partially closed in the area for approximately two hours.