Jeffrey Tyler Robertson left home that Thursday morning on his 2004 Kawasaki. He was 35 and lived in Troutman. The ride took him south on I-77 in the toll lane near Langtree Road Exit 31.
Right after 6:10 a.m. one of his tires failed. The bike went out from under him. He overturned and came off. The motorcycle slid through the lane barriers and a tractor-trailer hit it. Robertson ended up still in the toll lane. A 2020 Chevrolet SUV struck him there.
Troopers got to the scene fast. He died right there from the injuries. At first they thought someone might have hit him and kept going. They checked the toll cameras and the truck’s dash video. Nothing showed another vehicle causing it.
No one faces charges. The crash shut down the toll lane and two regular lanes. Traffic backed up for hours. Some folks sat in it nearly 15 miles long reaching back toward Troutman.
Robertson was a husband. He and his wife had two little kids, ages 3 and 5. He was the main one bringing money home for the family. Friends set up help for them after the news spread.
Folks who knew him say he was steady and quiet. Mornings like this one just keep happening on that stretch of road. The highway stayed closed until later in the morning while they cleaned up.
People who drive that part of I-77 every day saw the lights and the slowdown. It turned a regular commute into a long wait. Robertson’s name is the one that stays with the story now.
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