Teen driver passing stopped school bus leaves 1 dead in Granville County head-on crash

GRANVILLE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- The North Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating a crash in Granville County that left a 20-year-old dead and two high school students injured.

The crash happened Wednesday morning on Belltown Road near Smith Road.

Troopers said a 17-year-old driver from Oxford was passing a stopped school bus in a no-passing zone and hit another car head-on.

The driver in that car, Karon Lamont Siplen, of Oxford, died from his injuries.

The teen driver faces charges of reckless driving-wanton disregard, misdemeanor death by motor vehicle, driving left of center, and unsafe passing yellow line

A 17-year-old passenger, from Oxford, who was in the vehicle that was attempting to pass was also injured.

ABC11 spoke with Siplen's family who said he was just months away from tuning 21-years-old.

"I just dropped down in a chair like I couldn't believe it because being the type of person that he is, you wouldn't think something like that would happen to him," said Siplen's cousin Asia Harrison. "We want to remember him as a kind-hearted, bubbly person that he was because ... he wouldn't want us to be crying ."

Siplen worked at Siplen's Finger Lickin, a seafood restaurant he owned with his dad The restaurant that's located in Henderson is closed for the rest of the week. Harrison told ABC11 one of his best dishes was Rasta pasta.

"He loved to cook, like the best cook out in the family. So, yeah, he had a lot going on. He was very bright," she said.

Troopers said impairment was not believed to be a factor and all occupants were wearing seat belts.

There were students on the school bus at the time but there were no injuries reported, NCSHP said.

The young driver has a first court appearance scheduled for April 23.