Tragedy struck Eden, North Carolina, when a man operating a city dump truck was suspected of violating a stop sign, causing him to drive into a gathering of utility workers. The truck struck six workmen, resulting in four deaths at the scene. Three others were injured, two of whom were evacuated to a local hospital.
According to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, as reported by PEOPLE, the event occurred on Thursday, April 24, at about 1:30 p.m.
Michael Ray Vernon, age 66, was driving the city dump truck. Vernon allegedly ran past a stop sign and into an intersection, striking the six utility workers. According to the outlet, the workers were all employed by Carolina Electrical and Signalization and were working on electrical lines in the area.
Following the initial collision, the dump truck collided with a bucket truck. One individual inside, reportedly a third-party inspector, was hurt. As a result, Douglas Garland Sides, 72; Madison Carter, 32; William Evans, 35; and Matthew Lockwood, 30, perished.
The two surviving workers sustained life-threatening injuries and were evacuated to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Hospital. In addition, the alleged inspector received non-life-threatening injuries and was sent to a local hospital.
Michael Ray Vernon was charged with a misdemeanor death by motor vehicle and a stop sign violation. According to ABC News, authorities do not believe Vernon was intoxicated at the time of the event.
Reaction
Carolina Power, president of Carolina Power and Signalization, issued a statement on Facebook mourning the unfathomable loss of life. Power referred to the victims as “fathers, sons, husbands, and friends” who lived to serve others.
“As we mourn, I ask each of you to keep the families of our fallen brothers in your thoughts and prayers as well as the crew members that were on site,” Power wrote. “Their loss is immeasurable, and the road ahead will be incredibly hard for them. Let’s surround them with the love and strength that defines this Carolina Power family.”
“This heartbreaking reminder of how fragile life is should push us all to hold our loved ones a little tighter. When you get home tonight, take a moment — hug your family, tell them you love them, and never take a single day for granted. We will get through this together — not as coworkers, but as a family. That’s who we are, and that’s what our brothers would want.”
