Driver Dies After Hitting Tree In Catawba County

CLAREMONT, N.C. – A 31-year-old Catawba man was killed in a single-vehicle crash early Sunday morning, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.

Around 4:30 a.m., a Nissan Titan was traveling south on Shiloh Road near Buffalo Shoals Road. The driver lost control, drove off the left side of the road and struck a tree.

Jairo Ismael Flores died at the scene. He was the only occupant in the vehicle.

Troopers said excessive speed was a contributing factor in the crash. 

The road was closed for approximately two hours.