North Carolina
Herbert Coward, known for Toothless Man role in ‘Deliverance,’ dies in North Carolina highway crash
Herbert Coward, known for his “Toothless Man” role in the movie “Deliverance,” died Wednesday in a crash on a western North Carolina highway, according to authorities. He was 85.
The crash happened Wednesday afternoon as Coward and Bertha Brooks, 78, left a doctor’s appointment, North Carolina Highway Patrol Sgt. M.J. Owens said by telephone on Thursday. Coward pulled out onto U.S. Route 19 in front of a pickup truck, which hit his car, Owens said. Coward and Brooks as well as a Chihuahua and pet squirrel were killed, he said. Coward, who lived in Haywood County, was famous locally for having a pet squirrel, he said.
The 16-year-old driver of the truck was taken to a hospital as a precaution. Authorities don’t believe speed or distraction were factors in the crash, Owens said.
Coward had a small but memorable role in John Boorman’s 1972 classic “Deliverance.” The film starred Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty and Ronny Cox as a group of businessmen canoeing down a river in remote Georgia. Their adventure turns into a backwoods nightmare when local mountain men assault them.
Coward’s character, known as the “Toothless Man” for his missing front teeth, is one of the men who hold several of the paddlers at gunpoint while one is sodomized. Coward became the indelible face to one of the most infamous scenes in 1970s cinema, contributing the line, “He got a real purty mouth, ain’t he?”
It has been an up-and-down offseason for the North Carolina Tar Heels, whose roster will look drastically different next season.
During these last two weeks, the Tar Heels have lost Caleb Wilson (draft), Henri Veesaar (draft), Seth Trimble (expiring eligibility), Derek Dixon (transferred to Arizona), Luka Bogavac (transferred to Oklahoma State), Jonathan Powell (transferred to Pittsburgh), and Zayden High (transferred to South Florida).
Simultaneously, North Carolina has acquired Neoklis Avdalas, Terrence Brown, Matt Able, and Maxim Logue in the portal. In the process, head coach Michael Malone retained Jarin Stevenson, Maximo Adams, Jaydon Young, and Isaiah Denis.
With all of that in mind, we will evaluate the Tar Heels’ ceiling in the conference and assess how far they can go in the NCAA tournament.
How UNC Will Fare in ACC
As currently constructed, the Tar Heels are facing an uphill battle in the conference, especially given what top-end rival teams in the ACC have done this offseason. While North Carolina has lost over half of its rotation from last season, two programs in the conference have made convincing cases for themselves as the clear-cut, tier-one teams in the ACC.
Let’s start with Louisville. The Cardinals will lose several players through the combination of the draft and expiring eligibility. However, head coach Pat Kelsey was able to acquire Flory Bidunga, Jackson Shelstad, and Karter Knox. With over $20 million invested in next season’s roster, Louisville is at worst the second-best team in the ACC.
As for Duke, the Blue Devils retained most of their backcourt and center Patrick Ngongba II, while signing Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell. Not to mention, head coach Jon Scheyer, for the third time in four years, assembled the No. 1 recruiting class.
North Carolina will remain active in the transfer portal and must continue pursuing frontcourt players, with Veesaar announcing his decision to enter the upcoming NBA draft. Heading into the final days of April, the Tar Heels’ ceiling in the ACC is the third-best team, and that may be wishful thinking.
Way-Too-Early Prediction on North Carolina’s Ceiling in March Madness
Next year’s NCAA tournament is 11 months away, with several moving parts still in the works. However, with the current state of the roster and Malone taking over as the head coach, North Carolina should be a second-weekend team.
I would not expect the Tar Heels to be eliminated in the first round for a third consecutive season. As stated, so much will happen now until that point, but if you asked me to make an educated guess, based on what has transpired this offseason, I would say North Carolina’s ceiling in March 2027 is probably the Sweet 16.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow
The NC Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Sunday, April 26, 2026 results for each game:
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 26 drawing
Day: 8-0-7, Fireball: 1
Evening: 5-9-3, Fireball: 1
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 26 drawing
Day: 6-6-8-4, Fireball: 2
Evening: 3-0-8-2, Fireball: 7
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 5 numbers from April 26 drawing
02-09-18-26-42
Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Double Play numbers from April 26 drawing
16-21-22-31-43
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from April 26 drawing
02-03-06-17-56, Bonus: 03
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All North Carolina Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599.
For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at North Carolina Lottery Offices. By mail, send a prize claim form, your signed lottery ticket, copies of a government-issued photo ID and social security card to: North Carolina Education Lottery, P.O. Box 41606, Raleigh, NC 27629. Prize claims less than $600 do not require copies of photo ID or a social security card.
To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a prize claim form and deliver the form, along with your signed lottery ticket and government-issued photo ID and social security card to any of these locations:
- Asheville Regional Office & Claim Center: 16-G Regent Park Blvd., Asheville, NC 28806, 877-625-6886 press #1. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- Greensboro Regional Office & Claim Center: 20A Oak Branch Drive, Greensboro, NC 27407, 877-625-6886 press #2. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- Charlotte Regional Office & Claim Center: 5029-A West W. T. Harris Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28269-1861, 877-625-6886 press #3. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- NC Lottery Headquarters: Raleigh Claim Center & Regional Office, 2728 Capital Blvd., Suite 144, Raleigh, NC 27604, 877-625-6886 press #4. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
- Greenville Regional Office & Claim Center: 2790 Dickinson Avenue, Suite A, Greenville, NC 27834, 877-625-6886 press #5. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- Wilmington Regional Office & Claim Center: 123 North Cardinal Drive Extension, Suite 140, Wilmington, NC 28405, 877-625-6886 press #6. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://nclottery.com/.
When are the North Carolina Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily.
- Pick 3, 4: 3:00 p.m. and 11:22 p.m. daily.
- Cash 5: 11:22 p.m. daily.
- Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Carolina Connect editor. You can send feedback using this form.
On Friday, North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar announced his decision to enter the 2026 NBA Draft, with no intention of removing his name from the process.
Hours after the news broke, the 6-foot-11, 224-pound center shared a heartfelt goodbye to Chapel Hill and the Tar Heel faithful.
What Veesaar Said
- “This journey didn’t happen alone,” Veesaar said in a statement. “To my family – thank you for every sacrifice, every late night, every moment you believed in me before anyone else did. To my friends, teammates and coaches – thank you for being part of the grind and helping shape me into who I am today.”
Veesaar transferred to North Carolina last offseason after spending two years at Arizona. In his lone campaign with the Tar Heels, the junior center averaged 17.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting 60.8 percent from the field and 42.6 percent from three-point range. Veesaar spoke on the impact the university has made on him.
- “The University of North Carolina – thank you for the memories, the lessons and the brotherhood. It’s something I’ll carry with me forever. I’m proud to say I’m taking the next step and declaring for the NBA Draft. Thank you to everyone who’s been part of the journey.”
North Carolina’s season abruptly ended in the first round of the NCAA against VCU. That did not appear to be the end result, as the Tar Heels held a 19-point lead halfway through the second half. Veesaar, who led the team with 26 points and 10 rebounds, shared his love for North Carolina, which should have been a sign that he was leaning towards entering the upcoming NBA draft.
- “I love the school, I love the people, I love the university, they’ve given me so much,” Veesaar said.
Overall Thoughts
Veesaar declaring for the draft is a monumental loss for head coach Michael Malone and the Tar Heels heading into next season. Now, Malone and his staff must adjust on the fly and plan accordingly. With the transfer portal closing on April 21, the options have dwindled significantly, putting North Carolina’s brass in a serious bind.
While the Tar Heels would love to bring in someone like Arizona State’s Massamba Diop, who was dominant rim protector and effective offensive piece in his freshman season in 2025. The 7-foot-1, 230-pound center does not possess the shooting ability that Veesaar has in his repertoire, but Diop still averaged 13.6 points and 5.8 rebounds while shooting 56.9 percent from the field.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow
-
Maine2 minutes agoMoldy Maine weed is being treating with radiation
-
Maryland8 minutes agoMaryland astronaut named to SpaceX crew ahead of possible moon mission
-
Michigan14 minutes agoOpinion | Why political elites fear a Michigan constitutional convention – Bridge Michigan
-
Massachusetts20 minutes agoMassachusetts woman accused of killing children appears virtually in Vermont court
-
Minnesota26 minutes agoShakopee High School teacher, coach killed in Highway 169 crash
-
Missouri38 minutes agoMidwest Braces for Severe Weather: Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana at High Risk
-
Montana44 minutes agoQ&A: Michael Eisenhauer, independent eastern district U.S. House candidate
-
Nebraska50 minutes agoCandy to be added to SNAP-prohibited items in Nebraska