EDEN, N.C. — A dump truck driver accused of running a stop sign and killing four utility workers in Eden has been indicted on second-degree murder charges and is being held on $1.6 million bond, according to court records.

Michael Ray Vernon, 66, of Eden, was formally indicted Monday on four counts of second-degree murder without regard to human life and three counts of assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, according to WGHP and court documents. He appeared in Rockingham County District Court via video on Wednesday, where Judge Erica Standfield Brandon issued the total bond of $1.6 million.

Crash killed four linemen, injured three others

The charges stem from the April 24 crash at Carroll Street and Church Street, where investigators say Vernon ran a stop sign while driving a city-owned dump truck and crashed into a utility work zone. Six workers were struck and four died at the scene:

• Douglas Garland Sides, 71, of Summerfield

• Madison Carter, 32, of Sandy Ridge

• William Evans, 35, of Randleman

• Matthew Lockwood, 30, of Winston-Salem

Three other workers suffered serious injuries.

The linemen — contracted through Duke Energy and Carolina Power and Signalization — were standing between two parked utility trucks preparing to replace a wooden power pole when they were hit. After striking the group, Vernon’s truck slammed into a bucket truck, continued across Church Street, crashed down an embankment, and caught fire. Vernon sustained minor injuries.

Driver allegedly lost consciousness; had six prior work-related crashes

During Vernon’s earlier pre-trial hearing in July, investigators testified that he told law enforcement he lost consciousness before the fatal crash — and that he had passed out at least once before the incident. Prosecutors also noted Vernon had been involved in six previous crashes while driving city vehicles since joining Eden’s Solid Waste Division in 2017. He was fired shortly after the fatal collision.

Vernon was originally charged with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle, failure to stop at a stop sign, and operating a commercial vehicle without a valid CDL before the indictments elevated the case to second-degree murder.

Family members applaud indictment

Jason Lockwood, brother of victim Matthew Lockwood, said the indictment brings some measure of relief:
“There is no amount of justice that can bring my little brother home. But we can have peace of mind knowing an individual with a dangerous past is off the road.”

Ongoing state and federal investigations

Because the crash involved a city-owned truck, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol is leading the investigation, with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) also involved.

Judge Brandon ordered Vernon to have no contact with victims’ families and prohibited him from operating any motor vehicle.

Vernon’s next court appearance is scheduled for January 5 in Rockingham County Superior Court.

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