Police provide update on fatal accident in Wilkesboro

First published at 10:56

Monday, July 1, 2024

The Wilkes Record

A homeless man was killed early Sunday morning while attempting to cross US 421 on foot between KFC and the Valero supermarket.

Scott Tyler Brown, 34, was killed when he was struck by a pickup truck around 3:10 a.m. Sunday, June 30, Wilkesboro Police Capt. Jason Delbert said The Wilkes Record on Monday morning, July 1st.

Jesus Martinez Rodela, 24, the driver of a 2003 Dodge 1500, was not injured. No charges have been filed in the crash, Delbert said, but the investigation is ongoing. He added there was no evidence of driver impairment.

While traffic was being diverted after the accident, a vehicle reportedly collided with a Wilkesboro fire truck. Damage to the city’s vehicle was estimated at $30,000, Delbert said.

Victor Bustillo, 32, of Wilkesboro, the driver of the 2012 Jeep that struck the fire truck, was charged by Wilkesboro police with drunken driving, Delbert said. Bustillo was driving an estimated 40 mph in a 45 mph zone, and damage to his vehicle was estimated at $10,000.

The first accident report was posted on the Wilkesboro Police Department’s Facebook page on Sunday morning, June 30.

This article stated:
On Sunday morning (June 30th) at approximately 3:10 a.m., Wilkesboro Police received a call about a car crash involving a pedestrian at the intersection of US Highway 421 and Addison Avenue. The pedestrian struck was fatally injured in the crash. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of all involved. As with all major car crashes in Wilkesboro, our Accident Reconstruction Team was called in to investigate the crash. This team is comprised of members of the Wilkesboro Police Department and North Wilkesboro Police Department who have specialized training in car crashes. Alcohol was not a factor in this incident. The investigation is ongoing.

During this investigation, traffic was detoured on Winkler Mill Road so officers could conduct the initial crash investigation. During this time, a motorist approached the detour, failed to stop, and struck an unoccupied Wilkesboro Fire Department truck, causing major damage to the driver’s vehicle and the fire truck. No injuries were reported in this crash. This investigation led officers to suspect that the driver of this vehicle was impaired, and the driver was arrested and charged with driving under the influence. This investigation is also ongoing.