Dexter Biggers injured in Gaston County car accident, police say
18-year-old charged with reckless driving after crossing center line on Shannon Bradley Road
Updated April 16: Dexter Biggers was identified as the victim injured in the car accident.
Biggers was seriously injured in a car accident on Shannon Bradley Road near Knollwood Drive in Gaston County on April 9, according to authorities.
An 18-year-old Gastonia resident, identified as Wesley Pasour, was booked into the Gaston County Jail on April 16. Authorities charged Pasour with misdemeanor death by vehicle, reckless driving, unsafe passing and driving left of center.
Warrants were issued after the case was officially filed on April 15.
Investigators said the suspect crossed a solid yellow line to pass another vehicle in a no-passing zone. The maneuver caused a collision that killed another driver and left Biggers with severe injuries.
The crash remains under investigation.
What legal rights does Biggers have after the Gaston County crash?
Victims like Biggers often face a long and difficult recovery trajectory after a severe collision. While law enforcement pursues criminal charges against the at-fault driver, injured individuals must handle a separate civil process to address mounting medical bills and long-term rehabilitation needs.
National LNational Legal Analyst Candice Bond, Managing Partner at Bond Legal, noted that "Nobody thinks about the physics of a crash until it's much too late to slow down. Research indicates that the speed differential between two vehicles is actually the strongest predictor of whether someone survives the impact."
According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation, the state recorded 115,334 traffic injuries in 2024, with speeding and reckless driving frequently cited as cause.
How do criminal charges against the other driver affect civil recovery?
The criminal charges filed against the other driver, including reckless driving and unsafe passing, establish a foundation for liability, but they do not automatically compensate the victims. Investigators will examine the road characteristics on Shannon Bradley Road to fully reconstruct the sequence of events.
LNational Legal Analyst Stefano Formica, Of Bond Legal, noted that "Nobody thinks about how a road's curve is slanted until a high-speed crash happens. If the drainage grooves aren't right, they'll pull a car's tires off the pavement in ways that investigators can't ignore."
The parallel criminal and civil investigations will determine the full scope of accountability for the collision.
North Carolina personal injury framework
North Carolina follows a contributory negligence system — one of only 4 states. Under this strict rule, a plaintiff found even 1% at fault may be barred from recovery entirely. The statute of limitations is 3 years.
Damages include economic and non-economic losses.