Man Dead, Son Injured In Fiery Raleigh Crash

A 47-year-old man died and a 10-year-old passenger sustained personal injuries in a single-vehicle crash in North Raleigh on November 3. The badly damaged vehicle struck a tree and burst into flames in front of Jeffreys Grove Elementary School, police said.

A police accident report said that the accident took place shortly after 8 a.m. on Jeffreys Grove School Road, near the intersection of Eddystone Drive.

The deceased man, Durham resident Luca Melloni, was southbound in a 2004 Mitsubishi with his 10-year-old son Gianluca Melloni. Police say their vehicle ran off the road to the right, near the entrance of the elementary school.

Police said witnesses say the car traveled about 126 feet along the right shoulder of the road before it collided with a no parking sign. The car swerved back onto the road and traveled more than 100 feet across two lanes of traffic before if ran off the road to the left and struck a tree near the entrance of the elementary school, according to police.

Gianluca Melloni received hospital transport with injuries not considered to be life-threatening, according to police.

The accident remains under investigation.