There’s a heavy cloud hanging over the Huntersville community after a devastating three-car collision this past Wednesday afternoon claimed the life of one woman and left another person fighting for their life in the hospital. The incident, which happened just before 2:00 p.m. on October 22nd along the busy stretch of Davidson-Concord Road (NC 73), serves as a heartbreaking reminder of how quickly a seemingly normal day can turn into an absolute tragedy on the road. Authorities are still piecing together exactly what went wrong, but the consequences of that moment are profound.
According to the Huntersville Police Department, 54-year-old Priscilla Joyner, who hailed from Rocky Mount, was behind the wheel of a 2011 Chevrolet Suburban, traveling west near the intersection with Stanley McElrath Road. Investigators believe that for reasons still unknown, Joyner’s SUV suddenly drifted across the center line. Her vehicle first sideswiped a large 2022 Freightliner commercial truck before then violently colliding with an oncoming 2022 Ford Transit van, creating a chaotic scene of twisted metal and wreckage across the roadway.
For Priscilla Joyner, the impact was unfortunately fatal. Despite the lightning-fast response from emergency personnel, including the Huntersville Fire Department and Medic, officials sadly confirmed that she did not survive the crash and was pronounced deceased right there at the scene. It’s a moment that sends a chill through anyone who hears it—a life ended in an instant, leaving behind a family and friends now grappling with unimaginable shock and grief. The reality of a roadside fatality is always difficult, but the loss of Priscilla Joyner has hit the community particularly hard.
The horrific chain of events also severely impacted the driver of the Ford Transit van. That individual suffered serious injuries and was immediately rushed by Medic to Atrium Health’s Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte for urgent treatment. While police haven’t released any official updates on their condition, the gravity of the situation is clear, and the hope now rests with the medical teams to provide the necessary care. Thankfully, reports indicate that the drivers of the massive Freightliner truck were unharmed and remained at the scene to fully cooperate with law enforcement’s investigation.
Detectives from the Huntersville Police Department’s Traffic Safety Unit have been working diligently ever since the collision to reconstruct the sequence of events. While initial findings have thankfully ruled out bad weather or poor road conditions as major factors, investigators are now intensely focused on finding the root cause. Was it a mechanical failure in the Suburban? Could driver distraction have played a role? These are the crucial questions that the full reconstruction report is expected to answer as the team sifts through evidence to understand why Joyner’s vehicle veered out of its lane.
In the immediate aftermath, a major section of Davidson-Concord Road was shut down for several hours to allow first responders to secure the area and clear the significant wreckage, causing major delays for commuters. The sheer shock of the accident has reverberated through local residents, many of whom use this busy corridor daily and recall it as a relatively safe stretch of highway. Local authorities have since issued a stern reminder to all drivers: maintain your focus, exercise caution, and remember the narrow margin for error when only a painted line separates you from oncoming traffic.
As the investigation remains open, police are making an earnest plea to the public. They strongly urge anyone who might have witnessed the crash, or perhaps captured dashcam footage in the moments leading up to it, to come forward. Every tiny detail could prove vital in helping Priscilla Joyner’s family find clarity and closure. If you have information, you are encouraged to contact Sergeant Bryan Gantt directly at 704-464-5371. In the meantime, our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of Priscilla Joyner as they navigate this profoundly difficult time, and we wish the injured driver a complete and swift recovery.
