William Long Killed in Accident on Highway 16

By Joel Frady

An automobile accident on Highway 16 claimed the life of a Jefferson resident on Saturday night. According to Chuck Olive of the North Carolina Highway Patrol, 96-year-old William Long was crossing the road around the 8300 block of Highway 16 at approximately 9:25 p.m. when he was struck by a 2000 Honda Accord driven by 67-year-old Edward Baker of Jefferson.

"Mr. Long was crossing the road in dark colored clothing," said Olive, who noted that he was wearing a black and blue checkered flannel shirt and dark blue jeans. "He would have been hard to see in the dark."

Olive said that Long "just happened to be crossing the middle of the lane when Mr. Baker came by," and that Baker "was driving well below the speed limit." Long was killed instantly in the collision.

Due to the accident, the Highway Patrol was forced to close the highway for approximately two hours while they conducted their investigation and took measurements. Olive confirmed that no charges will be filed against Mr. Baker and that the investigation has been closed.

Olive added that there are steps that both pedestrians and drivers can take to prevent these kinds of accidents from occurring.

"If you're walking at night, be sure to wear reflective clothing," he said. "Walk against traffic, and don't get in the road." He added that drivers should "always be observant of pedestrians and children when you're driving. Be aware that anybody could be in the road, at any place at any time."

Memorial services for Mr. Long are set for Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 2 p.m. at Boone Funeral Home Chapel. You can view the entire obituary in our Milestones section on page 16.