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The driver of a dump truck that crashed into a crew of utility workers in Eden, North Carolina, earlier this year has been indicted on murder charges, court records show.
Michael Ray Vernon, 66, is charged with four counts of second-degree murder and three counts of assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury.
The indictments were issued Tuesday afternoon, according to records.
The murder charges are related to the deaths of Douglas Garland Sides, 72, of Summerfield; Madison Carter, 32, of Sandy Ridge; William Evans, 35, of Randleman; and Matthew Lockwood, 30, of Winston-Salem, all of whom died at the scene.
The assault charges are connected to three linemen who were injured, two seriously, during the crash.
On Thursday, April 24, Vernon failed to stop on Carroll Street at the intersection with Church Street and Park Road and hit the workers, who were conducting power line work, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.
Vernon also hit a bucket truck before stopping in a ditch.
A week after the incident, the city of Eden announced that Vernon and Public Works Operations Superintendent Elmer “Dusty” Curry had been fired and Public Works Operations Manager Darren Gatewood had announced his retirement.
Vernon was initially charged with a stop sign violation and several counts of misdemeanor death by motor vehicle, according to court records. Those charges were dismissed following Tuesday’s indictments.
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Justin Pryor
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