Tennessee comedian killed in early morning DWI wreck on I-40 Feb. 17, 2013 @ 10:35 PM
By Beth Velliquette,
Durham Herald Sun
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Special to The Herald-Sun | Julian Harrison One person was killed in a two car collision on 1-40 near the N.C. 54 interchange early Sunday. Police charged one man with driving while impaired after his car crashed into another car, causing it to flip several times before coming to a rest on right side of the road.
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Brian Edward Kiley
DURHAM —
A stand-up comedian from Tennessee died early Sunday morning after he was involved in a two-car wreck on I-40 near N.C. 54.
Brian Edward Kiley, 28, of Goodlettsville, TN, died at the scene of the accident.
The driver of the other vehicle, Raul Herrera, 31, of High Point, was charged with driving while impaired, according to the Durham Police Department.
Kiley was driving east on I-40 about 3:40 a.m. and was just past the N.C. 54 interchange when Herrera, who also was driving east, swerved and hit Kiley’s Nissan Maxima. The impact caused both vehicles to go off the road and overturn.
Herrera was transported to a hospital to be treated for what appeared to be non-life threatening injuries, according to Durham police.
Kiley was a stand-up comedian, according to his friend, J.J. Brent.
“He’d just married the love of his life a few short months ago,” Brent wrote in an email.. “His life was instantly changed because in addition to a beautiful new wife, he gained an adorable little daughter.”
Kiley was married Oct. 5, 2012, to Amber, who had a daughter named McKala, Brent wrote. They met at his church’s temple, according to Brent.
“Brian took to parenting with great love in his heart,” Brent wrote.
Kiley had just performed at the Newton-Conover Auditorium in Newton with headliner Jon Reep on Saturday night. Reep is the comedian known for being the guy in the Dodge commercial, who asked, “That thing got a hemi?”
On his Facebook page, Reep posted a story about Kiley’s death and wrote that he was at a loss for words.
“I’m so sad right now,” Reep wrote. “Please keep his wife and family in your prayers. RIP Brian! He was a good comedian and a Great Human being.”
Brent wrote that Kiley had recently set new priorities in his life and wanted to stay home with his family instead of going on the road to perform comedy.
“He simply didn’t like being away from his wife and child,” Brent wrote. “This was to be his last comedy road trip for the foreseeable future.”
Kiley, who advertised his comedy as family friendly, was a spiritual man, Brent said.
“He served in leadership positions in his church including several years as a seminary teacher where he taught and discussed the Holy Scriptures to my son and many other children in our congregation,” Brent wrote..
“He was the only friend I’ve had in my entire lifetime that I cannot recall a single negative moment,” Brent wrote. “He took his trials in stride and was always kind. A more compassionate and loving man you will never find.”
Kiley went by the name Brian E. Kiley to distinguish himself from the more well-known comedian, Brian Kiley, an Emmy-Award winning comedy writer who was a writer for Conan O’Brien and has appeared on national television shows.
After the accident in which Kiley died, the Durham Police Department closed that section of the interstate until about 9:30 a.m. while they investigated the wreck. Traffic was detoured off the highway at the N.C. 54 interchange.
After they opened the highway, investigators remained on the scene taking measurements as a tow truck backed up to take a heavily damaged black four-door car from the scene.
There were no passengers in either vehicle, and both vehicles were total losses, according to police.
