Legendary actor Herbert Coward, who was most known for his role as the toothless man in the film "Deliverance," passed away on Wednesday as a result of an automobile accident in North Carolina, as The Daily Caller reported.

According to TMZ, Bertha Brooks, who was a passenger in the vehicle that was driven by Coward 85, as well as his cherished pets, a chihuahua and a squirrel, were also killed in the collision.

Coward was reportedly driving a silver Nissan when it was struck by another vehicle. The incident occurred in Haywood County, North Carolina, and the North Carolina Highway Patrol reported that Coward was exiting a parking lot after attending a medical visit.

More Accident Details

It was reported by TMZ that the famous actor and his companions were pronounced dead at the site of the automobile accident.

As a result of the crash, the well-known actor, his friend, and the animals were all confined within the vehicle.

Soon after arriving on the site, emergency personnel made an attempt to free the individuals from the vehicle. However, despite their best efforts, they were not successful in saving the people who were inside the Nissan.

According to ABC News, neither Coward nor Brooks were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the crash. Brooks was also found to be responsible for the accident.

According to the statistics provided by the North Carolina Highway Patrol, the car that collided with Coward made an effort to avoid hitting him, but eventually failed to do so.

According to TMZ, the driver of the other vehicle, who was just 16 years old at the time, sustained only minor injuries and was transported to a nearby hospital before being evaluated. This was done out of an abundance of caution.

Coward's Most Famous Role

Coward is best known for his portrayal of the villainous character known as "Toothless Man," a hillbilly who was missing his front teeth. A sequence from the film that stands out in people's minds is where he demonstrated some of his most remembered acting skills.

Coward played the frightening villain who violently assaulted a man in front of his friend as the friend remained chained to a tree in the woods.

The movie that arguably made the actor into a household name, holds an iconic place in the minds of movie buffs for being one of the most riveting portrayals of rural American life available.