Raleigh police said 55-year-old Joseph Murrin III was charged with unsafe lane change violation and misdemeanor death by motor vehicle in connection with the crash.
The crash happened in July on I-540 between Leesville Road and Glenwood Avenue. Raleigh Police Department told ABC11 that upon arrival, officers found two cars off the roadway that had collided with trees and caught on fire. They tried to extinguish the fire using a department-issued fire extinguisher, but were not able to because of the intensity of the flames.
According to investigators, a Subaru Forester, driven by Murrin, was traveling in the far-right lane of I-540 West, with a Chevrolet S10 in the middle lane. The Subaru began a lane change to the left, which caused the Chevrolet to swerve left in response. The Chevrolet's driver then overcorrected to the right, leading to a collision with the Subaru.
Both vehicles veered off the right side of the roadway, went down an embankment, and hit several trees. The Chevrolet became lodged in a tree, while the Subaru ended up beneath it.
The driver of the Chevrolet, Antonio Aguirre Vargas, 22, was trapped inside the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The pickup sustained severe fire damage.
Murrin and a passenger who was also inside the Subaru were able to leave the car and sustained minor injuries. They were taken to WakeMed Brier Creek.
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