Burke County, NC (February 1, 2021) – Two people were killed in a head-on car accident that took place in Burke County on Sunday, January 31st. The crash occurred just after 6:00 p.m. on North Carolina Highway 181 near Morganton.
According to Sgt. D.J. Wakefield with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, 84-year-old Glenda Brittain Kelly was driving a 1998 Chevrolet minivan in the southbound lanes of N.C. 181. For unknown reasons, Kelly crossed the centerline and collided head-on with a 2018 Kia passenger vehicle. Kelly died at the crash scene. The driver of the Chevrolet, 58-year-old Daphne Kincaid Beam, was taken to Carolinas HealthCare in Morganton where she also succumbed to her injuries. The road was closed for about two hours while police and rescue workers were at the scene. Motorists were advised to find an alternate route of travel.
No one else was involved in the crash. An investigation is ongoing at this time.
We wish to extend our most sincere condolences to the families affected by this tragic car accident in Burke County.
North Carolina Car Accidents 
The loss of a family member to a North Carolina car accident is one of the most destructive and devastating things that a person can experience. Tragically, over 1,400 people are killed in crashes throughout our state each year. Many of these victims will lose their lives simply because they are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Due to the prevalence of negligent drivers on our roadways, a serious or fatal accident can take place in an instant and can change your life forever.
If your loved one has been taken due to another driver’s negligence, you should seek to protect your legal rights as soon as possible. Under North Carolina law, the deceased victim’s next-of-kin may have the right to bring a wrongful death claim against the driver who was responsible for the accident. These claims seek compensation for payment of funeral and medical bills, loss of consortium, lost wages, punitive damages, and potentially more. While no amount of money can replace the loss of a loved one, the compensation that you receive can help you get through a tough time in which are you can be suddenly faced with many unexpected expenses.
At Burton Law Firm, we know what you are going through and we are here to help. From our office in Raleigh, we serve injured crash victims and their family members in areas throughout the state. Regardless of how or where the crash occurred, we will fight for you to recover the maximum compensation that the law allows. Since 2012, we have recovered more than 40 million dollars in compensation for our clients.
Our team is standing by to take your call at any time. We offer free consultations and case evaluations to all potential clients. There is no fee upfront and you do not pay any money until we obtain a recovery on your behalf. To schedule your appointment with our firm, please reach out to us via the link on our website or give us a call at (833) 623-0042.
Note: Burton Law Firm utilizes a variety of outside sources in the creation of these accident news posts. These sources include news bulletins, police reports, first-hand accounts, news stories, as well as additional outside sources. For this reason, the details surrounding this accident have not been independently verified by our office or writing staff. If you find information that is not correct about an accident that we have written about, please contact our firm as soon as possible so that we can promptly correct the information. If you would prefer that we remove the story, contact us directly and we will make every effort to remove the story in a timely manner.
Disclaimer: Our team of personal injury lawyers at Burton Law Firm has taken pride in being active members of our local business community for more than 8 years. We are always striving to improve the quality of life for our community members and improve the overall safety and well-being of all North Carolinians. We hope that by providing this information about the dangers of driving that we will bring added awareness and drivers will use increased caution when operating a motor vehicle. Our thoughts are with everyone who may have been affected by this incident. This post is not a solicitation for business. None of the information in this post should be misconstrued as medical or legal advice. The photos in this post are not a depiction of the actual accident scene.