HICKORY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A 46-year-old man has died and his wife was seriously hurt after a head-on crash in Hickory, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. Around 7:45 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 20, officers responded to the fatal crash on NC 127 near Leslie Avenue. A 2023 Toyota 4Runner was going south on NC 127 when it crossed the centerline and hit a 2021 Hyundai Palisade head-on going north, officials said. This caused a 2023 Kawasaki motorcycle to overturn after hitting debris in the roadway. Highway patrol said the motorcyclist was not injured. Juvenile found dead in McLeansville cemetery, Guilford County Sheriff’s Office says The passenger in the Palisade, 46-year-old Michael Lee Peak, was taken to a local medical center by a helicopter. He was pronounced dead on Monday, Oct. 21, officials said. His wife was the driver and was taken to the same hospital with life-threatening injuries. The driver of the 4Runner, a 51-year-old woman, was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. Authorities say speed was a contributing factor in the collision and charges are pending. NC 127 was closed for about two hours during the on-scene investigation.