At around 7 a.m. Wednesday morning, a quiet stretch of North Carolina Highway 16 near Grindstone Lane in Wilkes County turned into the site of tragic loss and emergency upheaval. According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, a northbound 2018 Honda CR-V driven by 53-year-old Kelly Jordan Holleman of North Wilkesboro crossed the center line and collided head-on with a southbound 2019 Subaru Forester.
When first responders arrived, both vehicles were heavily damaged and the scene was grim. Holleman died at the scene of her injuries; troopers confirmed she was not wearing a seatbelt at the time. In the Subaru, the driver — identified as 61-year-old Laurie Christine of West Jefferson — suffered critical injuries and was air-lifted by helicopter to the Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist medical center in Winston-Salem.
Investigators with the State Highway Patrol say that neither speed nor impairment appear to have contributed to the crash. Their report states that the Honda simply crossed the center line for reasons unknown and caused the head-on impact. As of now, no charges will be filed in connection with the collision.
Traffic on Highway 16 was shut down for roughly three hours while crews worked to clear the wreckage and gather evidence. Once the investigation at the scene was complete, the roadway reopened to normal traffic. The location is within the Wilbar community of Wilkes County, underscoring how quickly tragedy struck in what might seem like routine travel.
Friends and neighbors of Holleman say she was known in the North Wilkesboro area and that this loss has spread shock through the local community—not only for the tragic timing, but also for the suddenness of it all. It highlights how driving on familiar roads can still carry unexpected risk, even when the usual danger signs aren’t obvious.
The other driver remains hospitalized battling critical injuries; at the time of the latest update there’s no indication of her condition improving or worsening publicly, but air-lift transport underscores the severity of what she’s going through.
As investigators continue their review, the focus remains on reassuring area drivers about safety, especially on rural corridors like this one where center-line crossings and head-on collisions can carry devastating outcomes. Community safety advocates are reminding drivers to always wear seatbelts, even on familiar routes—something that, tragically in this case, may have made a difference.
