Two Wilkes Residents Die in Holiday Crashes

The Thanksgiving holiday will be remembered with sadness by two Wilkes families, because of fatality car wrecks. 43-year old Pamela West of Roaring River and 69-year old Jeanne Wadkins of Miller's Creek died in separate wrecks -- Wadkins on Wednesday night, West on Thanksgiving morning.

The Highway Patrol says Wadkins was the front-seat passenger in a car that was on Boomer Road just after 8pm Wednesday. In the lingo of the Highway Patrol, her car is "vehicle one:"

As of early this morning, the names of the drivers and the fourth person involved in the wreck have not been released, and their current conditions are not available. Dispatchers tell me Wadkins was wearing her seat belt when the wreck happened. A decision on what charges would be filed against the driver of the car that crossed the center line would be up to local prosecutors.

About 8:30 yesterday morning, dispatchers say Pam West was alone in her car, traveling on Ruritan Road:

She was alone in the car at the time. Troopers have not released any explanation for why she lost control.