NC Highway Patrol: Walkertown man facing additional charges after fatal Iredell County crash

Charges have been upgraded for a Walkertown man after a fatal Iredell County crash, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.Benjamin Overton, 31, is now charged with two counts of aggravated felony death by vehicle and two counts of second-degree murder. On April 19, around 10:10 p.m., troopers said they responded to and investigated a fatal collision on I-77 South near mile marker 62.A 2006 Ford F-250 was traveling south and hit a southbound 2023 Kia Sportage. This collision caused both vehicles to travel off the right side of the road and collide with the guardrail, causing the Kia to overturn.The driver of the Kia, Jessica Horton, 47, and passenger, Patricia Osorno, 47, were ejected from the vehicle and succumbed to their injuries at the scene.Overton, who was driving the Ford, was not injured.The initial investigation indicates excessive speed and impairment to be the contributing factors in the collision.Overton was arrested and charged with driving while impaired, careless and reckless driving, two counts of felony death by vehicle, and driving while license revoked.He received a $2,500,000 bond and continues to be held at the Iredell County Detention Center.During the on-scene investigation, the roadway was closed in the area for approximately 10 hours.Subscribe to WXII's YouTube channel hereWatch: NOWCAST streaming newscastsKeep up with the latest news and weather by downloading the WXII appNAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Watch NOWCAST TV | Local News | National | News We Love |