Two fatal accidents occurred on Jackson County highways less than two hours apart Tuesday afternoon. James Edward Carson of Waynesville, 64, died around 3 p.m. when his car (above) ran off U.S. 23-74 near mile marker 84 went airborne and landed on Allens Branch Road, according to Trooper J.N. Sellers of the N.C. Highway Patrol. Sellers said Carson was westbound on the Sylva Bypass when his 1990 Toyota left the road, traveled 1,366 feet in the grass median, went into the air at the bridge over Allens Branch and landed on the road 30.6 feet below. The second wreck occurred just before 5 p.m. when a 21-year-old man from Knoxville, Tenn., was killed in a two-vehicle accident (below) on U.S. 23-441 about a mile from the Macon County line. Trooper H.G. Allen withheld the name of the victim, a Honduras native, pending notification of the next of kin. Allen said the Tennessee man was northbound in a Chevrolet GEO when he ran off the right side of the road, overcorrected and crossed both northbound lanes and the center lane before being struck by a southbound Pontiac Grand Prix driven by 28-year-old Aaron Mellies of Franklin. Mellies was admitted to Harris Regional Hospital. No information on his condition was available at press time Wednesday. - Herald photos by Carey Phillips and Sherry Peek
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