Stecoah – A Georgia man has died following a New Year’s night crash on Hwy. 28 in Graham County.
The N.C. Highway Patrol confirmed the Jan. 11 death of 46-year-old Nghia H. Le, from injuries sustained in the wreck. Le’s address was listed as 5510 Stonewood Court in Norcross, Ga., a suburb located northeast of Atlanta.
According to Graham County Deputy Sheriff Dennis Crisp, Le failed to stop for a checkpoint on Hwy. 28 around midnight New Year’s Day. Deputy Courtney Heaton quickly began pursuit of Le, who had been at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino earlier in the evening, according to Crisp.
The highway patrol’s accident report states that Le’s 2011 Honda collided with Heaton’s vehicle near Stecoah Diner, before entering the curve near Johnson Gap at a high rate of speed, fishtailing, crossing the opposite lane, striking an embankment and coming to rest upside down after rolling over once.
Le was transported to UT Medical Center in Knoxville, where he remained until his passing.
The highway patrol report stated that Le’s sideswiping off the patrol vehicle was “deliberate,” and that Heaton’s patrol car had lights and sirens activated at the time of the collision.