A man is charged with drunken driving after crashing his Corvette and killing his girlfriend, who was a passenger.
Kimberly A. Hardin, 50, died at the scene of the 9:46 p.m. crash Tuesday.
Police say 65-year-old Dennis Taylor, of 2006 Puetts Chapel Road, Bessemer City, was driving west on East Main Avenue when he lost control of the car. The Corvette ran off the right side of the road, hit an embankment and landed in a creek.
Police say Taylor was speeding at the time of the crash.
Taylor was taken to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte with life-threatening injuries.
Hardin and Taylor had been a couple for more than 10 years.
He has been charged with driving while impaired. Police are consulting with the District Attorney's Office about the possibility of additional charges.
Taylor has five previous DWI convictions, dating back to 2000 and 1993. Bessemer City Police Chief Tim Ellis said he had his license revoked at the time of the crash.
You can reach reporter Lauren Baheri at 704-869-1842 or Twitter.com/lbaheri.
