Robert Brad Williams, 49, of Hickory, is charged with four counts of felony hit and run inflicting serious injury or death, one count of involuntary manslaughter, and three counts of assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury.
"It has taken the Highway Patrol and Johnston County Sheriff's Office an enormous amount of resources to investigate and put this case together," the prosecutor said. "They had the aviation unit, they had a K9 unit, they have done many search warrants to try to figure out who this individual is."
According to records, authorities had been searching for Williams for weeks before he was finally caught during the weekend after a traffic stop on Interstate 95 near Dunn.
Authorities said Williams ran off after the fatal crash on Highway 70 near the Cornwallis Road overpass, where he allegedly drove the wrong way in a BMW and crashed into a Jeep, killing Kortney Summer Atkins, 25, of Goldsboro, and injuring three others, including Atkin's 4-year-old son.
Atkin's mother-in-law said that because of the tragedy, her son and grandson, who were the other passengers in the crash, are moving to another state.
"We all feel better that he is behind bars. Now we wait for justice for Kortney," Dawn Loving said.
According to prosecutors, Williams' prior convictions include second-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, and assault on a government official.
"He also has pending charges out of Catawba County for several counts of trafficking cocaine that has federal interest," the prosecutor said.
Williams is being held on a $5 million bond and told the Johnston County judge on Monday that he will hire his own attorney. His next court date is scheduled for Jan. 23.