Stranded I-40 motorist killed when his pickup is struck at 3 am, NC officials say
A motorist stranded on Interstate 40 in the middle of the night was killed when a speeding vehicle slammed into his stalled pickup, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.
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It happened just after 3 a.m. Friday, Aug. 7, in the Cool Springs area of Iredell County, about a 55-mile drive northeast from uptown Charlotte.
An investigation revealed a Dodge Ram driven by Ernest Duncan Ames IV, 45, of Hickory, was disabled in the emergency lane on Interstate 40 when it was struck, the highway patrol reports.
Ames was in the rear of his truck at the time, and he “was ejected,” investigators say. He died at the scene.
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Kevin Guadalupe-Quintana, 28, of Mount Airy, was driving the other vehicle, and “appeared to be exceeding the posted speed limit while also under the influence of alcohol,” the highway patrol said.
Guadalupe-Quintana was arrested by troopers on-scene and charged with: felony death by motor vehicle; felony serious injury by vehicle; driving while impaired; reckless driving; driving with license revoked and failure to maintain lane control, officials said.
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He was issued a $750,000 secured bond, records show.
This story was originally published August 7, 2026 at 11:44 AM.
