By Scott Jenkins
sjenkins@salisburypost.com
Authorities have identified a 25-year-old driver who died this morning after being ejected during a two-vehicle collision in the 7700 block of Old Beatty Ford.
Hunter Ryan Garner, of Cal Miller Road in Rockwell, died at the scene. He was not wearing a seat belt and was thrown from the vehicle into the grass.
Investigators say the westbound car crossed the center line and collided with an oncoming van.
Two adults and two children in the van were transported to Carolinas Medical Center-NorthEast. They are Steven Taylor, 65, and wife Nancy Taylor, 65, of Gold Hill, and their grandchildren, a 5-year-old boy and 3-year-old girl.
The Taylors and the little girl were taken by ambulance to the Concord hospital. The little boy was taken by family members.
Their injuries were not life-threatening, Highway Patrol Trooper J.P. Page said.
The adults in the van were wearing seat belts, and the children were secured in child safety seats, Page said. They were briefly trapped inside the vehicle until firefighters with the Bostian Heights Fire Department pried open the jammed doors with hydraulic tools.
Page said he didn’t know if wearing a seat belt would have saved the driver’s life, but “it’s always better to have it on.”
The investigation is continuing and Page said he hadn’t determined what caused Garner to cross the center line. He asked any witnesses who haven’t talked with investigators to call the Highway Patrol’s Rowan County office at 1-800-233-3151.
Rockwell Rural Fire Department assisted at the scene. Rowan EMS and Rowan Rescue Squad also responded.

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