WARRENTON – The North Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating a Monday morning head-on collision near here that resulted in three deaths.

Among those killed was 26-year-old Desmond Cornelius Roberts of Henrico, along with his 5-year-old nephew, Joshua Roberts of Gaston. Desmond Roberts was a standout, All-Conference football player at Northampton-West High School who later played at NC State. He finished his collegiate football career at Fayetteville State University.

Also killed was Brittany Nicole Silver, 29, of Norlina.

A third passenger in the Roberts vehicle – 7-year-old Anthony Roberts Jr. (also the nephew of Desmond Roberts) – was injured in the accident. He was taken to a local hospital and then transferred to Duke Hospital in Durham.

Lt. Jeff Gordon, a spokesperson for the Highway Patrol, said both children were properly restrained at the time of the collision.

According to investigators, at approximately 6:15 a.m. on Monday, a 2013 Honda CRV, operated by Desmond Roberts, was traveling east on Martin Luther King Boulevard when his vehicle traveled left of center and into the path of a 2003 Honda Accord, driven by Silver, traveling west. Both vehicles collided head-on.

On Tuesday, Gordon said it is unclear as to why the vehicle operated by Desmond Roberts drifted left of center. Neither speed nor alcohol were listed as factors in this collision.