Authorities Considering Charges After Fatal Wrong-Way Collision on U.S. 421 in Randolph County

Randolph County, North Carolina — December 18, 2025 — According to WFMY News 2 and the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, state investigators are reviewing potential criminal charges following a fatal crash caused by a wrong-way driver on U.S. 421.

Troopers responded to reports of a vehicle traveling against traffic on the southbound side of U.S. 421 near N.C. 49. Upon arrival, officers discovered a multi-vehicle collision involving a pickup truck and a passenger car.

Preliminary findings indicate that a 2003 Dodge Ram operated by 53-year-old Dean Andrew Nance of Franklinville was heading northbound in the southbound lanes when it struck a 2024 Volkswagen Jetta head-on. 23-year-old Seth Andrew Laws of Siler City drove the Jetta.

Laws sustained critical injuries and was pronounced deceased while being transported to Moses Cone Hospital in Greensboro. Nance was also injured in the collision and was taken to the same hospital with serious, but non-life-threatening, injuries.

The North Carolina State Highway Patrol confirmed that the investigation is ongoing and that charges against Nance are being evaluated as the case develops.

At Dewey, Ramsay & Hunt, our experienced Charlotte personal injury attorneys are committed to helping crash victims and their families navigate the legal process.

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Notes: Our team created this post using secondary sources and has not independently verified all the facts surrounding the accident. If you find any incorrect details, please contact Dewey, Ramsay & Hunt so we can update the post with the most accurate information. This post will be removed if requested.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this post is not intended to be legal or medical advice and is not a solicitation for business. The photograph used in this post is not representative of this accident. If you are injured in an accident, seek medical attention immediately, then speak to a North Carolina personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.