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Newland Woman Dies in Single-Vehicle Wreck on Halloween Night in Avery County

By Jesse Wood

A Newland woman died in a single-vehicle car crash over the weekend.

Puckett
Puckett

The Sheriff’s Highway Patrol released a report from Trooper Jonathan Boone that stated the Christopher Anthony Bertolini travelled off the right-shoulder of Spanish Oak Road in Avery County and overturned the vehicle.

During the crash, the passenger in the backseat of the Toyota truck, Jessica Puckett, 40, was ejected and died as a result of injury, according to the report. The crash occurred at approximately 2:50 a.m. early Sunday.

Trooper Boone wasn’t available for comment on Monday morning for more details.

According to GoBlueRidge.net, Trooper Boone said that Puckett unbuckled her seatbelt to mess with the radio “and in doing so, startled the driver who ran off of the roadway.”

“As the truck overturned, Puckett … was thrown out of the sunroof, and the vehicle rolled over on her in the crash.  Trooper Boone said neither Chris Bertolini nor his wife, Ashlyn, were seriously hurt in the crash, and that Puckett would not have been seriously hurt if still buckled. Bertolini was charged with DWI in the crash,” the online report read.

Puckett’s obituary is listed here. Funeral arrangements are incomplete.