Double fatality on Hwy 294 in Cherokee County

The following press release has been issued by North Carolina State Highway Patrol.

On Wednesday, June 14 at approximately 2:46 pm, Trooper Robertson was dispatched by Newtown Communications to a double fatal accident involving motorcycles and a passenger car on NC 294 in Cherokee County.

Accident report from NCSHP:

- Vehicle #1, a white 2007 Buick passenger car, driven by 61-year-old James Hart of Murphy, NC was traveling south on NC 294.
- Vehicle #2, a 2013 Harley Davidson motorcycle,  
​- Vehicle #3, a 2003 Harley Davidson motorcycle, and  
- Vehicle #4, a 2003 Harley Davidson motorcycle, were traveling north on NC 294.

Technical Summary of Incident:
Vehicle #1 entered a right hand curve and went left of center hitting Vehicle #2. Vehicle #1 came to rest facing west in the south bound lane. Vehicle #2 came to rest on the north bound shoulder. The driver of vehicle #2 came to rest in the roadway, and the passenger came to rest on the shoulder of the north bound lane. Vehicle #3 was hit by debris from the collision and overturned and came to rest in the roadway. Both occupants of Vehicle #3 came to rest in the roadway. The passenger of Vehicle #4, seeing the collision jumped from the vehicle coming to rest in the roadway. Vehicle #4 came to a controlled stop in the roadway. The operator and passenger of vehicle #2 were pronounced dead at the scene. They were identified by Trooper Robertson as Mr. Rex Long, age 54, and Ms. Cheryl Bays, age 58, both residents of Maryville, TN. The operator of Vehicle #1 and Vehicle #4 were uninjured. The driver and passenger of Vehicle #3, and the passenger of Vehicle #4 were transported to Murphy Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.

​The accident remains under investigation. 

WKRK would like to send our sincere condolences to the Long and Bays family and friends during this time of loss.