INDIAN TRAIL, N.C. — A night out ended in tragedy early Sunday morning following a deadly head-on collision along the I-485 outer loop that took the lives of three victims, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.
Two of those victims were a pair of twin brothers best known for their skills on the skating rink. Friends said 27-year olds John and James Woodson had enjoyed an adult skate night at Kate's Skating Rink in Indian Trail.
Then just hours later state troopers say a driver accused of driving drunk and going the wrong way hit and killed the twins. A passenger in the other car also died in the collision.
Those who knew and loved the Woodson twins say their presence will be greatly missed.
“You would see them, they would walk into the rink, everybody’s face would light up, owner at Kate's Skating Rink Billy Thompson said. "They would go by and literally say hi to every single employee.”
At Kate's, Jay and John were recently recognized as skate ambassadors. The twins grew to become well-known not just locally, but across the country, too. Many say they'll be remembered for their love of skating and the kindness they always showed.
“They would always reach out and try to bring other skaters that didn’t have a ride or didn’t have any money to get in," Thompson said. “Our skating community is really going to miss those guys.”
Yet even with this loss, the skate community says it's important to keep the twins' memory alive by continuing what they did best.
"Jay and John wouldn’t want anything to slow down either. They’d want everybody to keep rolling and keep moving.”
The driver accused of causing the crash is still in the hospital, but now facing charges.
This week Thursday and Saturday adult skate nights at Kate's will celebrate Jay and John's memory. Kate's will also host a major skating event in November that they plan to dedicate in honor of the twins as well.
Contact Briana Harper at bharper@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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