North Carolina

Husband and wife die in motorcycle crash on Blue Ridge Parkway in NC, officials say

A husband and wife were killed in a crash on the Blue Ridge Parkway, officials said. A doctor and firefighter had rushed in to help. (AP Photo/Zinie Sampson)
A husband and wife were killed in a crash on the Blue Ridge Parkway, officials said. A doctor and firefighter had rushed in to help. (AP Photo/Zinie Sampson) ASSOCIATED PRESS

A married couple died in a crash along the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina, officials said.

Larry McElroy, 70, was riding a motorcycle south on the parkway at about 5 p.m. Tuesday with his wife Brenda, 71, as a passenger, according to park rangers.

McElroy reportedly was driving around a curve when he crossed into oncoming traffic, striking a van.

“CPR was performed by an off-duty firefighter and doctor that came upon the accident until local EMS also arrived,” the Blue Ridge Parkway said Wednesday in a news release.

McElroy and his wife died at the scene, officials said. They were from Williamson, Georgia, roughly 45 miles south of Atlanta.

No one in the van was injured, officials said.

The investigation into the crash continues as officials look into other possible contributing factors, park rangers said.

The deadly wreck happened near mile marker 450, southwest of Asheville. The area is close to Waterrock Knob, a seasonal visitor center with scenic mountain views, according to the National Park Service.

The Blue Ridge Parkway spans 469 miles across mountainous terrain in North Carolina and Virginia.

Officials have warned drivers in the area to be cautious of curves, steep grades and “built-in distractions.”

This story was originally published June 23, 2021 at 4:09 PM with the headline "Husband and wife die in motorcycle crash on Blue Ridge Parkway in NC, officials say."

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Simone Jasper
The News & Observer
Simone Jasper is a service journalism reporter at The News & Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina.
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