One person was killed in a traffic accident early Saturday morning (April 1) in Mountain View. The deceased is 24-year-old Kiowa Chenoa Partin of Newton.

At about 6:15 a.m. Saturday, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol responded to the crash scene on N.C. Highway 127 near Leslie Avenue. The accident occurred as an eastbound 1990 Ford Mustang on Highway 127 went off the right side of the road, hit a road sign, and then struck a tree.

Mr. Partin, who was driving the Mustang, passed away at the scene. A passenger in the Mustang was transported to Catawba Valley Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver and passenger were not restrained by seatbelts and were both ejected from the vehicle.

The initial investigation indicates impairment and reckless driving to be contributing factors. N.C. 127 was partially closed in the area for approximately one hour during the on-scene investigation.