Two people on a motorcycle died in a crash on Highway 160 in Tega Cay early Saturday, Oct. 17, and a Fort Mill man now faces two felony charges.
Vernell Laurthel Hayes, 45, of Fort Mill is charged with two counts of felony driving under the influence resulting in death, according to the Fort Mill Sun and arrest warrants obtained by The Herald. A breath test allegedly showed Hayes had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.13. South Carolina's legal limit is 0.08.
Hayes remains held without bond.
The York County Coroner's Office and the Tega Cay Police Department identified the victims as Gabriel Tucker Williams, 26, of Fort Mill and Aeryn Kira Sutherland, 31, of Charlotte.
Williams was driving the motorcycle northbound on Highway 160 when Hayes, traveling southbound, attempted a left turn onto Tillberg Way and collided with the motorcycle, investigators reported. The arrest warrants state Hayes failed to yield the right of way while turning.
Williams suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to York County Coroner Sabrina Gast. Sutherland sustained critical injuries and was taken to Piedmont Medical Center in Rock Hill, where she died shortly after arrival.
Officers dispatched to the intersection in the early morning hours found Hayes at the scene and took him into custody. According to police and the arrest warrants, Hayes "admitted to consuming alcohol prior to the collision," The Herald reported.
Tega Cay Police Chief Joey Crosby confirmed the charges, according to The Herald. Gast said pathology and toxicology results for the victims remain pending.
The Tega Cay Police Department is coordinating with the South Carolina Highway Patrol (SCHP) on the active investigation. No additional charges have been announced.
Residents with information about the crash can contact the Tega Cay Police Department.
